Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a Common Syndrome Linked with Infertility...

Purpose of this document: To review the syndrome and warn to all young women who have this and believe that PCOS stops the possibility of pregnancy. It doesn't.

First, what Is PCOS? Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome³ (PCOS) is one of the main causes of infertility in women¹. It affects anywhere from 5-10% of women who are within childbearing age, and another 30% of women may have symptoms associated with PCOS, though not diagnosed with the syndrome making it one of the most under-diagnosed reproductive syndromes in women^1,2. Although PCOS has been recognized as a common infertility syndrome, no one is sure exactly what causes it. Some experts suggest that it is hereditary, while others suspect a link between PCOS and diabetes^{1, 2}.

Women who suffer from PCOS have fluid-filled sacs called cysts on their ovaries that prevent normal ovarian performance. PCOS affects regular reproductive functions like the menstrual cycle and fertility. Ovaries of PCOS sufferers tend to be larger than normal ovaries. Although cysts are the most common symptom, some doctors will diagnose a woman based on the presence of other symptoms or hormonal irregularities such as no or infrequent periods, irregular bleeding, infrequent or no ovulation, increased male hormone levels, outright infertility, lengthy chronic pelvic pain, increase weight or obesity, diabetes, cholesterol and triglyceride issues, high blood pressure, excess facial and body hair, male-pattern baldness or thinning hair, acne, oily skin or dandruff, dark-colored patches of thick skin, or skin tags in the armpits or neck^1,2. Because these symptoms often seem unrelated, doctors may try to treat each problem separately rather than evaluating them as a group^{1, 2}.