Polycystic ovary syndrome: Learn about PCOS

Learn about PCOS, a hormone problem that affects the ovaries and can cause missed periods, excess hair growth, acne, and infertility. Find out the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and complications of PCOS. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormonal disorder in women of reproductive age. The name comes from the observation of small follicles (or "cysts") that sometimes appear on the ovaries. Introduction Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder affecting women of reproductive age, affecting 10% of women. 1 The pathophysiology of PCOS involves excessive androgen production and multiple ovarian cysts. Consequently, the main clinical features include anovulatory infertility, acne and hirsutism, irregular menstrual cycles, obesity and increased long term risks of cardiovascular events and endometrial cancer. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a major public health problem affecting ~11–13% of women worldwide. In this Primer, Stener-Victorin et al. review the epidemiology and pathophysiology of PCOS ...