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Career vs biological clock: Battling Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Young women find themselves compelled to make crucial career choices as doctors say every one in three woman in reproductive age is affected by Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

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*Sumona Ray (24) battles debilitating stomach pain every month and it becomes difficult to explain to her male boss why she needs a few days off on a regular basis. Worried that she will be judged for being a work shirker, she trudges on, trying to get through the pain by gulping down at least four pain killers a day.

Deepthi Menon (24) is at a career crossroad. Newly married, she is now unsure about her plan to pursue a PhD after being advised by the doctor to start a family by the time she is 26, as she risks facing serious complications by waiting longer.

In today’s work environment where stress levels are high and work hours long, young women find themselves in a battle with their reproductive system as it stands at odds with their ambitions and budding careers. *Sumona and Deepthi are among the large number of young women who suffer from a condition known as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a condition in which the hormonal imbalance in the body interferes with the process of ovulation, and could also lead to the formation of painful cysts in the ovaries.

Though the exact cause of PCOS is not known, it is clear that lifestyle factors are playing a key role in its widespread occurrence. “One out of every three girls suffers from PCOS today. Girls are less physically active than the last generation and are putting on more weight,” says Dr Kiran Coelho, Head of Gynaecology Department at Lilavati Hospital. High level of insulin production is common among those affected by PCOS making them insulin resistant, but this means that their bodies also produce excess of male hormone androgen.

“If left untreated, the woman is likely to suffer from painful periods, experience excessive growth of facial hair and see a reduction in fertility,” says Dr Anjali Talwalkar, Gynaecologist at Kohinoor Hospital. Dr Coelho says, “Fertility tends to drop post age 35 but patients with PCOS might hardly be left with any eggs by then.”

*Sumona for whom PCOS dictates how she lives her life says, “Period days are terrible and I have had to leave meetings in between because of the constant pain. No matter how hectic my schedule is, I have to take time to exercise to keep my condition in check.”

While companies in the West like Facebook and Apple have woken up to the needs of women, even offering to pay for the facility to freeze their eggs, in India the work environment is not so flexible. Dr Coelho adds, “I have seen patients who were doing well in their careers and wanted to study further but had to take career breaks to start their families.”

While organisations maintain that being aware of a woman’s health issues is not held against her during the hiring process, they do admit that it does affect productivity. “Employees rarely come to us with such issues. We do try to give them certain concessions but we do not have any particular HR policy to deal with such issues,” says Saviana Phulsunghe, DGM, HR, Tilaknagar Industries.

With PCOS, many young women find themselves in a battle with their biological clocks much earlier than they expected. While doctors say simple changes in lifestyle like regular exercise and a low fat diet can go a long way in helping with the condition, for many it is a condition that forces them to make major compromises in what seemed like promising careers.
 
*Some names have been changed to protect identity

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