“Being a mother is what fulfills a woman, without that she is incomplete”.
In a patriarchal society where women are not perceived to have achieved fulfillment unless they engage in motherhood, it is natural to expect the reproductive health of women to be regarded with the utmost importance. But as you can’t expect anything but hypocrisy from patriarchal societies, it is natural that the matter of women’s reproductive health is held in complete taboo. Because of that, the women in our society have to go through terrible consequences. The problems they have the misfortune to face are compounded tenfold due to the sheer neglect that they face. One such problem is PCOS – which, on its own, forces incredible hardships on women; but combined with the obstacles that the patriarchal society creates in the path of curing this problem, PCOS patients are left to lead their life in horrific pains and problems, completely alone.
What Is PCOS?
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder observed in women of reproductive age. It affects 1 in 10 women all around the world. There are four types of PCOS: Insulin-resistant PCOS, Inflammatory PCOS, Hidden-cause PCOS, and Pill-induced PCOS.
PCOS: Why Does It Happen and How Do You Detect It?
The main cause behind PCOS is still unclear but a combination of factors has been identified by researchers. These are genetics, eating habits, physical inactivity, stress, etc. The symptoms of PCOS usually appear during adolescence with irregular periods, excessive hair growth in the face and other unusual places, weight gain, acne, etc. Such symptoms can soon turn into long term health complications if left untreated.
PCOS: What Are the Repercussions?
The problems that PCOS patients have to undergo are varying, wide-ranging, and severe. So, not only do PCOS patients have to endure problems to an extreme extent, but also they have to put up with multiple health problems that are seemingly completely unrelated. To undergo even one of these problems is bad enough, but to fight more than one, and to be always on the look for more problems that can arrive makes life horrific for PCOS patients.
So, what are the long-term complications that the PCOS patients have to face? PCOS is one of the major reasons for infertility in women, which, of course, in a society that expects women to be child-bearers, creates more societal problems for women. To add to that, PCOS entails some major long-term effects. PCOS is one of the major reasons of infertility in women. Other long-term effects include Type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure, breast cancer, uterine cancer, pregnancy complications, and depression.
Can You Cure PCOS?
PCOS has no cure. Although early diagnosis and treatment along with weight loss can reduce the risk of long-term complications, around 70% of affected women remain undiagnosed or have long delays before the condition is recognized1.
Now, this is odd. Why do so many women keep their condition a secret, never going to the doctor to consult their problems? What is keeping them away from treatment?
PCOS: The Social Stigma that Transcends the Impact of Health Complications
In most South Asian countries like Bangladesh, the menstrual cycle and bodies of women are still topics of “shame” that are not to be discussed. This taboo has its roots ingrained in the sexist nature of our society. The direct association of period with PCOS makes teenage girls uncomfortable to report their symptoms to their parents, family members, or any gynecologist.
According to a study, 92% of rural women in India had one or more gynecological disorders but only 8% (!) of them had undergone medical examination and treatment2. Sadly, this is also the state of most women in Bangladesh especially those who belong to a middle or lower-income family.
PCOS: The Psychological Distress Caused by Social Stigma
PCOS itself is a very complex disease but the psychological toll it takes on women due to the existing social stigma really says a lot about our society. Often young girls are shamed for their weight gain by family members which can induce body image issues and eating disorders. In a study conducted in a government hospital in Jammu, a respondent with PCOS stated that “this disease resulted in disfigurement of her body and she felt that she was not attractive anymore”.
As I have already mentioned at the beginning of this article, many believe the purpose of a woman is fulfilled only if she becomes a mother. But PCOS threatens that chance as well. Infertility in married women leads to depression, anxiety, and at most times, a broken marriage. It is extremely unfortunate that around 40 percent of women diagnosed with PCOS also suffer from depression and self-esteem issues after diagnosis.
How PCOS Acts as A Burden to Carry Every Single Day
Most case studies on PCOS and mental health focuses more on the impact of broader issues like obesity or infertility. Along with all these, hormonal imbalances due to PCOS have huge psychological effects that can make women’s moods fickle and disruptive to their daily activities. Mood swings might sound very minor relative to the other severe complications of PCOS. But its effects on young adults, especially on working women is hugely overlooked at times.
Women can feel extremely gloomy and have emotional outbursts due to the lack of a regular menstrual cycle. Sometimes these outbursts can impact their relationships with colleagues, family, and friends. As soon as they get their period, the fickle mood swings can disappear. Most women do not show their discomfort while people assume stereotypes like “Women are so unpredictable”.
Despite all these physical and psychological complications, women are still going on to manage their homes and workplaces successfully. What absolute queens they are!
Why Is It Especially Difficult for Bangladeshi Women to Control PCOS?
Most solutions to PCOS suggest that “a healthy diet and lifestyle can control PCOS”. But it is easier said than done. Insulin resistance occurs in serious or moderate form in women with PCOS. As a result of which the dietary restrictions are extremely strict and vary from person to person. There are two problems with this.
Firstly, eating rice is almost equal to intaking poison for patients with high insulin resistance. As rice is the staple food of Bangladesh, it is extremely hard for the middle class and lower-income women to maintain this diet. And it’s not like bread can be a supplement to rice as bread/roti is also a form of carbohydrate. Secondly, the quality of the majority of gynecologists in Bangladesh is extremely poor. Most of them suggest “Marriage” as the all-in-one solution to every problem a woman faces. So, their credibility to provide customized diet plans or medication to women suffering from PCOS is fairly questionable.
PCOS: The Patriarchy Effect
Some of you may be wondering what has patriarchy got to do with all these? Due to the existing taboo, women sometimes fail to explain their state to the outer world. In our country, young girls are socialized in a way that prevents them from talking about the biological changes of their bodies even with their own mother. The lack of awareness and knowledge regarding reproductive health leave women confused. Then if they fail to fulfill their motherly duty due to not getting the chance to treat the disease, the society inflicts further pain and shame on the women suffering from PCOS. How convenient!
The hypocrisy of patriarchy is laughable. Our society itself imposes a sense of shame on women that hinders them from talking openly about their reproductive health and then when this lingering shame gives birth to a serious health complication, people not only turn their backs on women. PCOS can be controlled through a healthy lifestyle and medications when diagnosed, but the age-old instilled indifference towards women leaves them without the knowledge nor the chance of resorting to such actions to tackle their problems.
Nowadays, women who have access to the internet are becoming more aware of PCOS. But there are still many women who have limited or no access to the internet or simply do not know how to use the Internet to make themselves aware of their medical situation. And in this male-dominated society, access to modern technology is something that is difficult to come by for women who live away in the depths of rural areas.
PCOS: What Should We Do?
PCOS is a disease that has its roots in medicine but its effect is massively social and psychological in nature, which makes women feel incomplete, isolated, and frustrated. Obviously, we cannot do much to tackle the health impacts. However, as we have already learned, early steps go a long way in minimizing the impact of PCOS. Furthermore, our main focus is to provide social support to the women who suffer from the disease. And the most effective way to do so is to abolish the taboo surrounding the reproductive health of both men and women. Active discussion regarding reproductive should be encouraged to break the barriers of negligence regarding the topic.
Educational institutions and social media can play a huge role to start open conversations to break the existing taboo around it. In the recent years, we have seen more women opening up about their experiences which has given courage to other women. Advocates for body positive image like Harnaam Kaur have shared her photographs with facial hair on social media creating awareness regarding PCOS. She suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome which caused facial hair to appear when she was just 11 years old.
It’s amazing to see such initiative from brave women who encourages other women to embrace their true self.
In conclusion, PCOS is just one facet of women’s reproductive health. The ignorance of our society towards many other issues related to women’s reproductive health is a key characteristic of a male-dominated society. The toxic effect such a society has on women should not be tolerated. It is high time we broke this toxic cycle of patriarchy. It is high time we discussed and truly cared about the reproductive health of women.