PCOS - Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

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Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common hormonal problem usually, found in women of childbearing age. Women may complain of some or all or the following; infrequent or irregular menstrual periods, excessive body hair, difficulty with conceiving (from infrequent egg release form the ovary), excessive body weight and acne. If an ultrasound scan is performed of the ovaries, many tiny cysts/follicles (fluid filled spaces) are found arranged on the edge of the ovary. Women with PCOS commonly have slightly higher levels of male type hormones, however the levels are not as high as those usually found in men.

PCOS is thought to be present in about 5-8% of women in the childbearing age group. However the ultrasound scan findings may be present in up to 33% of women in the general population many of whom may not have any obvious problems. PCOS is also commoner in the Asian population.

WHAT CAUSES PCOS

 The exact cause of PCOS is not certain, however some of the following factors have been suggested. These include an alteration in the levels of hormones secreted by the hypothalamus (part of the brain), the pituitary gland (a small gland in the brain) and the ovaries at puberty, excessive resistance of the tissues to the effects of a hormone called insulin (insulin resistance), genetic inheritance and an interaction between excessive body weight and an underlying genetic tendency

Ultrasound Image of a Polycystic Ovary


ARE THERE ANY LONG-TERM RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH PCOS?

Women with PCOS are at increased risk of Diabetes in later life especially if they are of excessive body weight. They may also be more likely to develop heart disease and cancer of the womb, however the exact risks of these latter two conditions have not been fully clarified.