Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) rarely announces itself clearly. It shows up as delayed periods, stubborn weight gain, persistent acne, or unwanted hair, often leaving young women confused, anxious, and searching for answers online. In a time when lifestyle pressures are high and misinformation spreads easily, understanding PCOS has become crucial.

In this interview, renowned obstetrician and gynaecologist and authority on PCOS, Prof (Dr) Bilquees Jameela explains what PCOS really is, why it is increasingly common among young women, and how timely awareness, lifestyle changes, and medical guidance can help restore health, confidence, and control.

 Q1. Many young girls today are being diagnosed with PCOS. What exactly is this condition?

Dr BJ:You have asked a very good question. PCOS means Polycystic Ovarian

Syndrome. Many people think that it is a problem of cysts, but it is not actually a cyst related problem. It is a hormonal abnormality, or we can say a hormonal imbalance.

In PCOS, one hormone which we call the male hormone, androgen, increases. The androgen level rises in PCOS. Along with this, estrogen increases and progesterone decreases. When this hormonal imbalance occurs, several changes happen in the body.

Weight gain increases, periods become irregular. Sometimes periods come after two or three months, and sometimes they do not come at all. Medicines have to be given for periods to occur, which we call withdrawal bleeding.

It has been observed that this condition is more common in girls who have a sedentary lifestyle. Nowadays, girls prepare for exams or focus on building their careers, so they adopt a sedentary lifestyle. Sitting in one place for long hours increases hunger, and instead of eating healthy food, they consume junk food like chips, chocolates, and cold drinks. These are what we call empty calories. They only increase calories and provide no nutritional benefit. This is one of the reasons they become obese.

The second reason is lack of exercise. There is no........

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