Phenotype Characteristics and Risk Factors of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome among Nursing Students View PDF

^*Neven Ali Ibrahim
Department Of Nursing, Zagazig University, Egypt

^*Corresponding Author:

Neven Ali Ibrahim
Department Of Nursing, Zagazig University, Egypt

Published on: 2020-05-30

Abstract

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine condition that occurs in women and is associated with problems such as menstrual irregularities; hirsutism; obesity; insulin resistance; acne; and later life with diabetes mellitus and uterine cancer.
Aim: The study was to assess phenotype characteristics and risk factors of the polycystic ovarian syndrome among nursing students.
Methods: Cross-sectional study (descriptive) included a sample of 400 females from the Faculty of Nursing, Zagazig University, Egypt.
Tools: The tools were used for data collection; structured-interviewing questionnaire sheet, data related to anthropometric measures, risk factors about PCOS, and observational checklist about phenotype characteristics of PCO.
Results: The results showed that (6%) of the studied student females had a family history of PCO, nearly half of them had fast food, more than half of studied student females had hirsutism, more than one quarter had acne, (14.5%) had menstrual irregularity and one-third of them had continuous abnormal weight gain. Also, this study showed that lack of awareness was found among the majority of girls about PCOS.
Conclusion: It could be concluded that a family history of PCOS, obesity, and fast food diet habits are found to be the predisposing factors for the development of PCOS. The risk of PCOS increases with the presence of one or more identified predisposing factors. Most of the factors tested as predisposing factors in our study are interlinked to each other and are mostly modifiable. Although PCOS is a prevalent endocrine disorder, there was poor knowledge among student females in the Faculty of Nursing Zagazig University.
The study recommended screening programs from the ministry of health for early detection of predisposing factors of PCOS including the secondary school students and faculties’ students through educational programs and messages through the counseling, brochures, to increase student’s awareness about PCOS symptoms.
Future Perspective: Further research on a larger sample size to identify how the problem is risky and how to deal with it. Including the problem in social media and healthy channels.

Keywords

Risk Factors; Phenotype Characteristics; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Introduction

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine condition in the developing world among women of reproductive age, affecting 5-10% of this population. This is generally characterized as the association of hyperandrogenism with chronic anovulation in women, without clear adrenal or pituitary gland underlying disease. In addition, PCOS is diagnosed on the clinical picture, supported in some women by biochemical abnormalities and/or polycystic ovaries on ultrasonography [1].
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), also known as a polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD), sclerocystic ovarian syndrome, functional ovarian hyperandrogenism, chronic anovulatory syndrome, ovarian hyperthecosis, and stein-Leventhal syndrome (original term, not included in current literature). Thus PCOS was called the “feminine identity thief”. This is the most common female endocrine (hormonal) condition characterized by numerous inactive ovarian follicle cysts interfering with ovarian function [1].
Symptoms typically associated with PCOS include irregular menstrual periods, oligomenorrhea and or severe menstrual bleeding, chronic anovulation, subfertility, clinical and/or biochemical signs of hyperandrogenism including (hirsutism cystic acne & alopecia), hair loss, skin oiliness, seborrhoea, ovarian micro polycystic appearance and metabolic abnormalities such as hyperinsulinemia & obesity. Not all of these signs usually occur in the same woman [2].
Environmental status and factors, such as obesity, appear to exacerbate the underlying genetic predisposition. PCOS is characterized by increased circulating androgen rates, polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM), suspended follicular growth, and anovulatory infertility. PCOS is usually related to insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, metabolic syndrome components, and oligo-anovulatory cycles [3].
While some of the clinical symptoms and presentations of PCOS are age-dependent, ovarian failure and hyperandrogenism (HA) are common at any age [3].
The impact of these symptoms on the quality of life of women can be profound and can lead to psychological distress that threatens female identity and potential disturbances in sexual behavior and attitude. Therefore the disorder may lead to altered self-perception, unstable family dynamics, and problems at work [4].