Medication for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common hormone disorder in women of childbearing age. Surgical techniques and lifestyle changes can help relieve some of the disorder's symptoms. Medications for polycystic ovary syndrome are also a treatment option.

The Facts

• Polycystic ovary syndrome is a hormone disorder experienced by women of reproductive age. Symptoms include abnormal hair growth, weight gain and acne. A woman with PCOS may also experience menstrual abnormalities. Her periods may be infrequent or they may be prolonged and heavy. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome often have trouble conceiving because of difficulty with ovulation. Medication prescribed to treat PCOS usually focuses on treating its symptoms and enabling a woman to have children.

Birth Control

• For a woman with polycystic ovary syndrome who does not wish to become pregnant, low-dose birth control medication that combines estrogen and progesterone can treat some of the symptoms of her disorder. Birth control pills regulate and normalize menstruation. They can help to clear acne breakouts. They also help to reduce abnormally high levels of male hormones, which can lessen hair growth. They also offer protection against endrometrial cancer.

Metformin

• Metformin is a medication used to treat Type 2 diabetes. It can also be beneficial to a woman with PCOS. It helps to lower her testosterone levels, which will reduce hair growth. It may also help with weight loss. It has also been shown to encourage ovulation to begin and continue on a regular schedule. The FDA has not approved metformin for use to treat PCOS.

Ovulation Stimulation

• For a woman with polycystic ovary syndrome who wishes to have children, fertility medication that stimulates ovulation can be helpful, especially when combined with metformin. Clomiphene citrate is a medication that induces ovulation and it is usually a doctor's first choice for treatment. If it does not work, then a doctor might try medications known as gonadotropins. With these fertility medications, there is an increased chance that a woman will become pregnant with twins or triplets.

Androgen Disrupters

• Medications known as anti-androgens can help a woman with polycystic ovary syndrome by clearing acne and stopping abnormal hair growth. Spironolactone and finasteride both work to block the male hormone androgen, which causes excess hair, to either thin or stop growing. These medications are often combined with birth control pills. A woman who wishes to become pregnant should not take either one because they can cause birth defects.