PCOD vs PCOS
PCOD (Polycystic Ovary disease) and PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) are the most common hormonal disorder affecting women, associated with ovaries.
Ovaries are very important parts of female reproductive system; every normal female has two ovaries in the lower half of her abdomen. Both ovaries release ova into uterus, every month. Ovaries also produce many hormones, for instance, Estrogen, usually known as female hormone and Androgens or testosterone, known as male hormones. PCOD (Polycystic Ovary disease) and PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) are the diseases associated with ovaries.
PCOD
PCOD is a situation, when we can see an enlarged ovary and small follicular cysts, which have 0.5—1.0 cm diameter. This is the disease developed by the hormonal imbalance, which lead to collection of mature eggs in the ovary, as they cannot be discharged. These immature follicles are called as cysts. This is a vicious cycle, some cysts leads to more cysts and this cycle goes on. Although reasons were from person to person, but insulin, diet, hormonal disturbances and stress are some cause, which leads to PCOD. Sing and symptoms of this disease include, irregular periods, hair pattern which resembles male patterns, storage of fat at abdominal area, and infertility. FSH and LH levels are important for the diagnosis of disease along with pelvic ultrasound. PCOD does not exactly mean infertility, many women can bear child even with this disease. For the treatment of PCOD, patients are given progesterone pills, which help in balancing the hormones.
PCOS
PCOS is another condition of ovaries, when patient is affected in more than one ways. In this condition, more than twelve follicles are produced every month, but as they all are, immature so no ovum is releases and resultantly, ovaries start producing higher level of testosterones, which leads to hormonal imbalance. One forth population of women are having multiple follicles in ovaries, but only 10% women suffer from PCOS. Symptoms for this syndrome are irregular periods, weight gain, Acne; difficulties in pregnancy and thinning of hair, but symptom vary from person to person which usually develop in late twenties. Blood tests and ultrasound scan are the two methods to diagnose the disease.
Differences and Similarities
PCOD and PCOS are the conditions associated with malfunctioning of ovaries. Symptoms like irregular periods are common in both cases, but PCOS leads to thinning of hair whereas in PCOD a female develop hair pattern like males. Both are caused by hormonal imbalance but for PCOS there is no exact known reason for this disease but we can link it with inheritance, like PCOD. PCOD is not very serious if we compare it with PCOS, which is more severe form of this syndrome. Both contribute to the infertility, and hormonal pills and injections are used to treat both.
In Short:
PCOS and PCOD are one of the known causes of infertility in women. Irregular periods and weight gain are the major symptoms in women, showing these ovary disorders. They have nothing to do with cancer, and with regular treatment, they can be cured. These sings appear in early twenties but actually considered seriously, when a woman fails to conceive.