For the first time PCOS Society of India has come up with a certificate course in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to sharpen skills and knowledge of medical practitioners treating the patients.
Its six-month long online certificate course, launched four months back and is open for medicos from varied disciplines-- endocrinology, gynaecology etc treating the PCOS patients. It spreads over six modules. One module is uploaded on PCOS website every month for participants. So far four modules of the certificate course have been uploaded on the website. Those who finish six modules can appear for online exams to get a certificate, said Dr. Duru Shah, scientific director of gynaecworld and founder president the PCOS Society.
PCOS is a very prevalent reproductive disorder in women leading to hormonal imbalance in the reproductive age group which affects the woman's ability to conceive, causes irregular periods and miscarriages, causes acne and facial hair growth due to relative increase of male hormone and is associated with obesity and insulin resistance in a large percentage of women. The prevalence rate of PCOS in India is as high as 22% which is much higher as compared to that in developed countries where it is approximately 5-10%. Multidisciplinary approach is needed to address it.
Talking about importance of the certificate programme, Dr Shah said “It will improve skills of physicians treating PCOS and helps them make timely and correct diagnosis of PCOS and manage it in an efficient way. The management of PCOS does not end with the treatment of acne or hirsutism or irregular periods or infertility, it goes much beyond that. We need to prevent metabolic syndrome, and it’s associated cardiac problems, cancer of the uterus, severe obesity etc. which commonly occur in PCOS women at an older age.”
Earlier the society had launched a mobile app, Conquer PCOS, to educate women about PCOS, get them diagnosed and create a forum to openly discuss about the problems faced. It regularly organizes lectures, seminars and meetings by inviting experts in the field of PCOS. Launched in 2015, the society has more than 1,000 members from varied disciplines including gynecologists, endocrinologists, dermatologists and all specialists such as cardiologists, oncologists, nutritionists, physiotherapists, bariatric surgeons, etc.
Taking serious note of high prevalence of PCOS in the country, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has also started five-year study into PCOS patients which would help to develop predictive genetic predisposition profiles for early identification and therapeutic intervention for women at risk of PCOS development.