Cure For Female Infertility May Have Been Discovered

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the leading cause of female infertility, and yet up until recently, its cause has remained a mystery. A research team in France has identified the role hormonal imbalances experienced in the womb may play in PCOS-related hormonal imbalances found in adults. Even more exciting, a potential cure could be on the way.

A Complicated Condition

PCOS affects roughly 1 in 5 women. Resulting from excess androgen (male hormone) production, it can cause irregular periods, unwanted facial hair, acne, male pattern baldness, and a host of physical complications. Most concerning of these are obesity, the development of Type II diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, a condition that affects blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels, and can lead to cardiovascular disease. Despite its emotional and economic impacts, little has been known about PCOS, its causes, or how to effectively treat it. That may now change.

A Possible Breakthrough

A research team at the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research recently found a link between PCOS and high levels of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) during fetal development. AMH is produced in the womb, in larger amounts when the developing child is a male. It normally triggers physical changes that will determine the baby’s sex. The recent study found pregnant women with PCOS had AMH levels that were 30% higher compared to pregnant women without PCOS.

The researchers decided to recreate this condition in mouse models, with the prediction that the hormonal imbalance would affect developing fetuses into adulthood. Not surprisingly, the female offspring of high AMH mothers exhibited symptoms of PCOS. With the cause better understood, researchers then looked at possible treatments. A medication called cetrorelix, which blocks the secretion of certain hormones, reversed the symptoms in PCOS-affected mice.

If the treatment is as successful in humans as it is in mice, an actual cure for PCOS could be on the horizon. This could be life-changing for countless women who currently suffer from the condition. Human trials for cetrorelix are planned to begin later this year.

Sources used:

http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/scientists-finally-think-they-know-what-causes-polycystic-ovary-syndrome-and-how-to-cure-it/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pcos/symptoms-causes/syc-20353439

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/cetrorelix

http://www.yourhormones.info/hormones/anti-muellerian-hormone/