60% of Indian Millennial Women Have PCOS, PID Is The Second Leading Menstrual Disorder

PCOS is not the only gynecological disorder wreaking havoc on the women of our country, many Indian women are also affected by Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), candidiasis and fibroid.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition among women of reproductive age and a leading cause of infertility. A Pan India survey on period health has revealed a high prevalence of PCOS among Indian millennial women. According to the Gynoveda survey report, about 60 per cent of women between the age group of 24 – 34 suffer with PCOS. Alarmingly, it was also found that 51 per cent of women in the less than 24 yrs age group have PCOS.

The high prevalence of PCOS among millennial women is worrisome because PCOS can affect women’s fertility to a great extent. A report by the National Institute of Health (Government of India), 70 to 80 per cent of women with PCOS are affected with infertility.

For the study, Ayurveda FemTech brand Gynoveda collected responses from more than 3 lakh women across the country in the age bracket of 18 to 45 years.

Other Common Hormonal Disorders

While PCOS is the major menstrual health concern in India, many women are also affected by Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), which is the second leading menstrual disorder among Indian women. According to the survey report:

54% of surveyed women suffer from PCOS
PID affects 17% of the female population
9% of them suffered from Candidiasis
5% respondents had fibroid
1% of them were suffering from Endometrial Hyperplasia

83% of Indian women have painful periods

Are your periods painful? You’re not alone. As per the survey, 83 per cent of Indian women admitted to having painful periods, compelling them to take painkillers every month. 58% of the respondents complained about mild and bearable pain and 25% complained about severe pain. Only 17% reported no pain during the menstrual cycle.

Irregular menstrual cycle is also a common problem, with 76% of the women surveyed admitting irregular periods with scanty flow. Nearly half of women said they use fewer than 5 pads throughout their entire period cycle. It is important to note that a healthy menstrual flow requires a minimum of 10 to 12 pads per cycle.

Major body changes associated with PCOS

The two most prominent bodily changes among women with PCOS are excessive weight gain (observed in 60% of the women surveyed) and facial hair growth or Hirsutism (observed in 59% of the women surveyed).

PCOS can also cause skin issues in women, which can cause mental and emotional distress in them. In the survey, acne was observed in 55% of the women while pigmentation and other hormonal skin issues were seen in 51% of respondents.

Cause of PCOS as per Ayurveda

In Ayurveda, PCOS is considered as Kapha disorder, resulting from unhealthy diet and lifestyle habits, said Dr Aarati Patil, Chief Ayurveda Gynecologist at Gynoveda.

As per Ayurveda, lack of exercise, sleeping during the daytime, too much sugar, fast food, junk food, and packaged food in the diet can all lead to excessive Kapha production. Excessive kapha can cause problems in digestion and poor digestion gives rise to sticky toxins (AMA) that block the channels in the ovary and affect the egg growth and that is how PCOS pathology starts, Dr Patil stated.