PCOS Professor Teede is the Director of Monash Centre for Health Research Implementation, Monash University and an Endocrinologist at Monash Health. She holds an Order of Australia for services to Women’s Health. Through decades of research, Helena is considered one of the world leaders in women’s health including PCOS, healthy pregnancy and menopause. She is a strong advocate for advancing women in leadership in healthcare and research and leads the International “Advancing Women in Healthcare and Health and Medical Science” initiative with 22 partners. She is dedicated to impact and equity, based on genuine partnership with the community, patients and carers in research and health service codesign and delivery. Her work reaches all 195 countries, and she has been awarded for international engagement.

Useful links: https://www.askpcos.org/ TikTok - @pcosvitality
https://www.eshre.eu/Guidelines-and-Legal/Guidelines/Polycystic-Ovary-Syndrome

Did you know that PCOS affects more than 1 in 10 women? Early diagnosis can significantly improve quality of life. In this podcast, Helena explains what PCOS is, its symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments. PCOS is a complex syndrome that is often misunderstood. Many believe it is solely a disorder of the ovaries or just about having infrequent periods, but it is much more than that. PCOS can impact metabolism, mental health, and fertility, leading to both short- and long-term health challenges. Women with PCOS face an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, sleep issues, endometrial cancer, fertility difficulties, weight problems, and mental health struggles. Lifestyle management plays a crucial role, and we discussed how challenging it can be to maintain a healthy weight in today’s society. 

Helena highlights the importance of early recognition, especially in adolescents. Symptoms like irregular periods, severe acne, and excess body hair are enough to diagnose PCOS. For younger women, further tests are often unnecessary, but for older women, scans and blood tests may be recommended. Alongside lifestyle changes, the contraceptive pill can be a useful tool for managing symptoms. Everyone should know about PCOS. 

 Date of episode recording: 2024-12-18T00:00:00Z
 Duration: 01.06.37
 Language of episode: English
 Presenter:Professor Joyce Harper
 Guests: Professor Helena Teede
 Producer: Joyce Harper