PCOS & Ovarian Cysts

Highland Park Ob-Gyn Associates

OB/GYNs located in Northbrook, IL

Conditions like PCOS and ovarian cysts can affect the health and function of your ovaries and make it more difficult for you to become pregnant. At Highland Park Ob-Gyn Associates in Northbrook, Illinois, experienced gynecologists, Steven Valfer, MD, and Regan Valfer, MD, offer on-site diagnostic testing services to evaluate your ovarian health and identify painful cysts. The providers customize medical and surgical treatments, including laparoscopic surgery, to ease your symptoms and protect your reproductive health. Call Highland Park Ob-Gyn Associates to request a consultation or schedule an appointment online today.

PCOS & Ovarian Cysts Q & A

What is PCOS?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder that affects women during their childbearing years. 

When your levels of androgens (male hormones) are too high, it can lead to PCOS symptoms like:

  • Irregular periods

  • Severe acne

  • Facial hair (hirsutism)

  • Enlarged, cyst-filled ovaries

Symptoms of PCOS can become severe, especially if you’re obese, and lead to other complications. The presence of large cysts on your ovaries can interfere with ovulation and lead to infertility. PCOS can also increase your risk of miscarriage and endometrial cancer.

What are ovarian cysts?

Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs that can form inside or on your ovary during your menstrual cycle. These cysts are usually benign (noncancerous) and may develop because of a hormonal disorder, pelvic infection, or endometriosis.

In many cases, cysts are small and not bothersome. However, they can grow large enough to cause symptoms such as pain during your period, painful sex, unexplained weight gain, and abnormal bleeding.

A small number of ovarian cysts may become cancerous. An evaluation is done by the doctors with ultrasound and possibly laboratory evaluation.

How are PCOS and ovarian cysts treated?

The doctors at Highland Park Ob-Gyn Associates can help you manage your condition with lifestyle changes and possibly medication management. Birth control pills help decrease androgen production and regulate your body’s estrogen and progesterone production to treat abnormal bleeding, facial hair growth, and acne.

When you struggle to become pregnant because of PCOS, your physician may recommend a medication to help you ovulate. If you’re overweight and your PCOS symptoms are severe, your provider can recommend a diet and exercise plan to help you lose excess weight.

Most ovarian cysts typically resolve on their own. However, if you have a large cyst or a cyst ruptures, you may need surgery to remove it. 

To remove cysts, the physicians at Highland Park Ob-Gyn Associates can perform minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery that requires only small incisions near your navel.

If you have symptoms of PCOS or ovarian cysts and need a diagnostic evaluation, call Highland Park Ob-Gyn Associates or request an appointment through the online booking system today. 

Services We Offer & Conditions We Treat

REQUEST APPOINTMENT