Genetic disease in UAE women seen as reason for pregnancy difficulties

Al Ain: Doctors at Tawam Hospital found Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a genetic problem, is a key cause of pregnancy difficulties in UAE women.

According to doctors, medicines can offer only a limited cure.

Women in other Gulf countries also suffer from PCOS.

An ultrasound scan of the ovaries can detect the syndrome that causes various problems in patients, said Dr David Robertson, director of the in-vitro fertilisation clinic at Tawam Hospital.

The syndrome is a problem of ovulation, which normally occurs once a month.

PCOS leads to irregular periods, problems in getting pregnant, weight gain, depression, and a raised level of the male hormone testosterone in women suffering from it.

The symptoms, he said, typically begin when women enter their late teens or early 20s. Not all the symptoms occur in all women suffering from PCOS.

Control

"We can control PCOS through tablets, but it has no permanent cure," said Dr Robertson. One of the main causes of PCOS is inter-family marriages that cause genetic disorders in Emiratis.

"The trend of close family marriages is, however, now declining and it's a healthy sign," he said, noting that continuous educational drives have been showing some good results.

Awareness campaigns should continue with renewed vigour, he added.