Female Hormone Health, PCOS, Endometriosis, Fertility & Breast Cancer | Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi

What It Covers

Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi explains why PCOS and endometriosis remain undiagnosed in 90% of women despite being leading infertility causes, detailing diagnostic criteria, underlying mechanisms including insulin resistance, and comprehensive treatment protocols beyond standard birth control approaches.

Key Questions Answered

• •PCOS Diagnosis Criteria: Women need only two of three criteria: high androgen symptoms (facial hair, acne, male pattern hair loss), irregular periods (over 35 days apart), or PCOS-appearing ovaries on ultrasound. High testosterone blood levels are not required for diagnosis, yet doctors frequently dismiss patients with normal testosterone levels.
• •Insulin Resistance Treatment: 80% of PCOS patients have insulin resistance driving symptoms. Treatment starts with supplements containing inositol, vitamin D, chromium, and curcumin, then progresses to metformin 750-1000mg twice daily if needed. GLP-1 medications since 2014 show average 24-pound weight loss in four months while regulating insulin and reducing inflammation.
• •Egg Quality vs Quantity: PCOS patients show falsely elevated AMH levels (above 6 versus normal up to 6) due to frozen follicles, but egg quality remains poor. Women should freeze eggs before age 30, with PCOS patients targeting 40 eggs versus typical 20 due to quality issues. Some 14-year-olds already show 40-year-old egg counts.
• •Four PCOS Phenotypes: Classic type has all three criteria; Type B shows high androgens and irregular periods but normal ovaries; Type C patients ovulate sometimes with regular cycles but have PCOS ovaries and androgen symptoms; Type D lacks androgen symptoms but shows irregular ovulation and PCOS ovaries, explaining diagnostic confusion.
• •Endometriosis Recognition: Painful periods requiring bed rest, missing school or work, emergency room visits, painful deep penetration during sex, constant bloating, painful bowel movements, or recurrent UTI symptoms with negative cultures indicate endometriosis. Diagnosis takes 9-11 years on average, with patients seeing 5-10 doctors before proper identification despite 100-year medical awareness.