Is pregnancy normal if the ultrasound scan reveals 5 weeks pregnant with gestational sac and yolk sac but no fetal pole was not noticed?

Answer 1

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or PCOS

Polycystic ovary syndrome affects a woman's menstrual cycle and her ability to conceive children. It also affects the woman's hormones, heart, blood vessels, and appearance. Although all women have male hormones, women with polycystic syndrome tend to have more. They miss or have irregular menstrual cycles. They have fluid-filled sacs within their ovaries known as cysts. About one in ten women of childbearing age has PCOS. It can occur in girls as young as eleven, and is the most common cause of female infertility.

The cause is unknown. Researchers tend to think that there is a possibility PCOS is hereditary. Women with PCOS tend to have a mother or sister with PCOS. Another cause may be insulin, the hormone that controls the change of sugar, starches, and other food into energy for the body to store. Excess insulin appears to increase production of androgens. This hormone is made in the fat cells, the ovaries, and the adrenal gland. Levels of androgens that are higher than normal can also lead to acne, excessive hair growth, weight gain, and increase ovulation problems.

Symptoms of PCOS vary widely including infrequent menstrual periods, no menstrual periods, and/or irregular bleeding; infertility due to lack of ovulation, increased hair growth known as hirsutism, ovarian cysts, acne, dandruff, weight gain, obesity-usually carrying extra weight around the waist, insulin resistance (Type 2 Diabetes) high blood pressure, fits of rage due to lack of self control which may be controlled by psychiatric counseling, male pattern baldness, skin tags, pelvic pain, anxiety, depression, sleep apnea and excessive snoring.

There is no cure for PCOS; women that have PCOS have an elevated chance of developing several life threatening diseases including Type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services at womenshealth.gov more than "50% of women with PCOS will have diabetes or pre-diabetes (impaired glucose tolerance) before age 40; they are also four to seven times more likely to have a heart attack than women the same age that do not have PCOS. Women with PCOS have high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol."

The chance of getting endometrial cancer is another concern. Irregular menstrual periods and the absence of ovulation cause women to produce the hormone estrogen, but not the hormone progesterone. Progesterone causes the endometrium to shed its lining each month as a menstrual period. Without progesterone, the endometrium becomes thick, which can cause heavy bleeding or irregular bleeding. Over time, this can lead to endometrial hyperplasia, when the lining grows too much, and cancer.

Symptoms need to be kept under control beginning at an early age to reduce risk of complications like diabetes and Heart disease. Regular check-ups and consultations with a personal physician, eating right, exercising, not smoking, will reduce chances of having other health concerns. Ability to conceive may be a concern. Receiving treatment may help boost a woman's self-esteem. Joining a support group to deal with emotional affects is advisable.

For more information contact theNational Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC) at 1-800-994-9662 or the following organizations:

American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE)

Phone: (904) 353-7878

internet Address: http://www.aace.com

American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)

Phone: (205) 978-5000

Internet Address: http://www.asrm.org

Center for Applied Reproductive Science (CARS)

Phone: (423) 461-8880

Internet Address: http://www.ivf-et.com

InterNational Council on Infertility Information Dissemination, Inc. (INCIID)

Phone: (703) 379-9178

Internet Address: http://www.inciid.org

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Association, Inc. (PCOSA)

Internet Address: http://www.pcosupport.org