Diagnosing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), one of the commonest chronic hormonal conditions in women, has become easier with Veera Health, a major digital therapeutics platform for managing the ailment, collaborating with Tata 1mg to offer a first-of-its-kind comprehensive test package.
The traditional routes for PCOS testing are fragmented. Most women find themselves hopping between clinics and being asked to test for a number of different clinical criteria, most of which may be totally unnecessary for a diagnosis.
“We’ve solved this problem by launching a package that tests for all essential biomarkers to diagnose PCOS,” said Shashwata Narain, chief executive and co-founder of Veera Health.
She added that the platform has partnered with leading clinicians and researchers from across the world to develop the diagnostic protocol and has designed the test packages in a way that supplements the diagnostic protocol.
Designed as an at-home lab test with Tata 1mg, the samples are collected from home and the results are made available in 48 hours. The reports are available online and the packages also include a 30-minute video consultation with a qualified gynaecologist, the platform said.
Dr Prasant Nag, clinical head of diagnostics at Tata 1mg, said that presentation of PCOS is varied and differs from case to case, which makes this condition difficult and time-consuming to diagnose.
“Through this comprehensive package of tests, we hope to enable faster and better diagnosis, and hence efficient management of PCOS for thousands of women across the country,” he said.
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The syndrome
PCOS affects nearly 1 in 5 Indian women and its symptoms include irregular periods, weight gain, excess body or facial hair and mood disorders.
Experts say that despite the high prevalence of PCOS, a majority of women with the condition remain undiagnosed. Lack of awareness and differing sets of criteria for PCOS evaluation makes it difficult to get an accurate diagnosis.
The new test package is indicated for any woman who suspects she has PCOS, or is experiencing unexplained symptoms such as irregular periods, difficulty conceiving, weight gain, acne, excess facial or body hair or scalp hair loss.
There are two packages on offer, one of which caters to women who want to understand the root cause of their symptoms and get a formal diagnosis. The second one includes tests that cater to women who are looking to conceive with PCOS.
Test availability
The diagnostic packages are currently available in 24 Indian cities: Agra, Allahabad, Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Howrah, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Meerut, Mumbai, New Delhi, Noida, Patna, Pune, Ranchi, Surat, Varanasi.
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