THE PUZZLE AND THE CURE

OVER THE YEARS, doctors and researchers have struggled to deal with PCOS. There has been a lab-level breakthrough as researchers could cure it in mice and a clinical trial has been scheduled, the New Scientist reports. A new set of worldwide clinical guidelines has also been released and more than 70 countries have agreed to implement them. Research is on to understand the genetic basis of metabolic abnormalities in PCOS patients for possible gene therapy. Researchers are also trying to unravel whether PCOS in moms leads to autism in newborns. A new study published in Molecular Psychiatry shows that the hormonal imbalance could raise the rate of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. Dr Raina concurs, saying women with untreated PCOS face abortion risk in 40-50 per cent cases while their babies could have ASD in 50-60 per cases.