What Is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome?

Q:
What is polycystic ovarian syndrome?

A:
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormone-related problem that women suffer. Most women patients have a number of small cysts in the ovaries.

PCOS occurs in 5% to 10% of women and is the most common cause of infertility in women. PCOS symptoms may begin with menstrual irregularities during puberty. Or, a woman may not know she has PCOS until later in life when symptoms and/or infertility occur.

We still don’t know what causes PCOS yet. It is likely to result from both genetic and environmental factors. Women with PCOS usually have a mother or sister with the condition.

Symptoms of the disease include:

• elevated androgen levels,
• excess hair growth on the body,
• male-pattern hair loss,
• obesity and weight gain,
• elevated insulin levels and insulin resistance,
• oily skin,
• dandruff,
• infertility,
• skin discolorations,
• high cholesterol levels,
• elevated blood pressure,
• multiple small cysts in the ovaries.

Keywords: polycystic fibrosis ovaries, polycystic fibrosis syndrome.