Dr. Jonathan Trager Polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, is a common cause of menstrual irregularities affecting about 5 percent to 10 percent of young women. It has many features that can be quite distressing and difficult to manage. PCOS is not one specific disease but rather a wide range of disorders associated with excess androgen.
Androgens are the male sex hormones, but they are also normally present in women.
Obviously each one of these problems has a significant impact on a young woman's health. That's why it is important that PCOS be recognized and treated. As the name implies, polycystic ovary syndrome has been associated with enlarged cystic ovaries, but this is not always the case. Your doctor will take a careful medical and gynecological history and perform a complete physical examination, which may include a pelvic examination. Lab tests may include hormone levels, a lipid profile, and glucose and insulin levels.