PCOS IS ANCIENT

 

#PCOS certainly has a long history and goes further back then most realize!

We have certainly come a long way but so much more needs to be done!

Its interesting to see how perceptions and care have changed over time but our work is far from done...

Check out the history of PCOS going all the way back to ancient times to help bring more understanding to this still relatively dismissed and overlooked syndrome


GOING BACK IN TIME WITH PCOS

2020

Cases of pcos continue to rise with cases now affecting up to 21% in some countries making statistics now 1 in 5, as opposed to old statistics of 1 in 10

Less than 0.1% of government funding is invested in the research of PCOS

Up to 70% of patients with pcos remain undiagnosed

There is no cure for PCOS

There is no known cause of PCOS

Definitions of pcos still focus mostly on reproductive aged women only

2017

ACEM includes insulin resistance as diagnostic criteria to be considered

Insulin resistance has been noted consistently among many women with PCOS, especially in those with hyperandrogenism, but it is not included in any of the diagnostic criteria. Now there is strong evidence that cardiovascular disease risk factors and disturbances in carbohydrate metabolism are all increased in patients with PCOS compared to the healthy population.

2010

#PCOS becomes widespread

The World Health Organization estimates that PCOS affects 116 million patients worldwide.

2003

The Rotterdam criteria is created as a guide to diagnose PCOS

The criteria is based in

1) androgen excess
2) lack of ovulation/ irrehlgular menses
3) exclusion of other known disorders

1990

Formal diagnostic criteria proposed

At a National Institute of Health (NIH) sponsored conference on PCOS formal diagnostic criteria were proposed and afterwards largely utilized from then on.

1958

3 investigators were first to describe an increase in (LH) Lutenizing Hormone in the urine of patients with bilateral cystic ovaries.

1935

PCOS officially described

The condition was first described in 1935 by American gynecologists Irving F. Stein, Sr. and Michael L. Leventhal. They first presented their paper at the Central Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in 1935. From then, the syndrome was more comprehensively described in medical literature.

1844

Chereau and Rokitansky described fibrous and sclerocystic leisons in the ovary of degenerative character with hydrops follicle, what we know today to be the pearl necklace pattern we see in ovaries of some patients with PCOS

1721

First known case of PCOS

The earliest published description of a person with what is now recognized as PCOS was in 1721 in Italy, by Italian scientist Antonio Vallisneri.

1510-1590 

Obstetrician Ambroise Pare observed that “Many women, when their flowers or tearmes be stopped, degenerate after a manner into a certaine manly nature, whence they are called Viragines, that is to say stout, or manly women; therefore their voice is loud and bigge, like unto a mans, and they become bearded.” 

1135-1204 

Medieval physician Moises Maimonides discusses PCOS

The medieval physician Moises Maimonides noted that “...there are women whose skin is dry and hard, and whose nature resembles the nature of a man. However, if any woman's nature tends to be transformed to the nature of a man, this does not arise from medications, but is caused by heavy menstrual activity”


98-138 AD

Soranus of Ephesus writes about PCOS

Soranus of Ephesus noted that “sometimes it is also natural not to menstruate at all... It is natural too in persons whose bodies are of a masculine type... we observe that the majority of those not menstruating are rather robust, like mannish and sterile women”

460 BC-377 BC

Hippocrates writes about PCOS

Hippocrates notes that “But those women whose menstruation is less than three days or is meagre, are robust, with a healthy complexion and a masculine appearance; yet they are not concerned about bearing children nor do they become pregnant.”

Ancient times

References to the syndrome go back as far as the ancient Egyptian papyri and show up repeatedly in ancient Greek and Hebrew literature as well as the medieval and Renaissance periods. It has such an ancient genetic stamp that it is now thought to predate the emergence of human racial diversity 50,000 years ago.

Chinese medicine has studied polycystic ovaries since ancient times, as well  There are many ancient text books which mention abdominal masses (ie polycystic ovaries), along with scanty menstruation and absent or delayed menstruation.

Resources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3164771/

http://www.pcos-uk.org.uk/about-pcos.html

http://vitalitymagazine.com/article/traditional-chinese-medicine-for-polycystic-ovarian-syndrome-pcos/


www.fertilityanswers.com/pcos-a-disease-with-ancient-origins