Fast Facts: What You Need to Know About Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

What is PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome)?

PCOS is a hormonal disorder that affects the ovaries. People with PCOS may have too many male hormone (androgen) levels or other abnormal lab results, infrequent periods, and/or enlarged ovaries that have small fluid-filled sacs, known as follicles or cysts, on their outer edge.

What are the symptoms of PCOS?

PCOS symptoms are different for everybody. However, some common symptoms of PCOS are:

• Irregular periods
• Severe acne
• Excess facial or body hair growth (fancy word for this: hirsutism)
• Weight gain
• Insulin resistance (when your body does not respond to insulin, which often results in high blood sugar levels and can possibly lead to diabetes)
• Abnormally high levels of insulin in your blood (called hyperinsulinemia, if you want to get technical)

Are there PCOS risk factors?

Any person of reproductive age who has a uterus could develop PCOS. However, some are more at risk than others. Women who have sisters, mothers or daughters (first-degree relatives) with PCOS or related metabolic conditions are more likely to develop PCOS themselves. There also appear to be racial/ethnic differences in the symptoms and severity of PCOS.

How does PCOS get diagnosed?

PCOS can be diagnosed by healthcare providers (HCPs) based on symptoms, a pelvic exam or transvaginal ultrasound to look for abnormalities, or through blood tests.

PCOS can be diagnosed when a person has at least two of three telltale signs:

• Abnormal blood test results
• Irregular periods
• “Ring of pearls” (ovaries with increased cysts and volume)

Clues from blood work that a HCP can use to determine if a person has PCOS can be:

• High androgen levels
• Signs of metabolic issues such as excessive insulin in blood and high fasting cholesterol, triglyceride or blood glucose levels

What causes PCOS?

We don’t know exactly what causes PCOS yet, but experts think PCOS is probably influenced by genetics and the environment.

How do you treat PCOS?

There’s no cure for PCOS, but there are many treatments that may help to control PCOS symptoms and keep it from getting worse. The treatment that is right for you depends on your specific needs. For example:

• Lifestyle changes aimed at weight loss, including a low-calorie diet and exercise program, are common recommendations for all PCOS patients. This is because weight loss may help PCOS get better and help ward off its possible effects on your metabolism.
• Birth control pills can help reduce androgen levels and regulate a person’s menstrual cycle.
• Metformin, a common Type 2 diabetes medication, can help improve insulin resistance and lower blood sugar levels.
• Spironolactone, which minimizes the effect of excess androgens on the skin, may assist with severe acne caused by PCOS.

Does PCOS cause other medical conditions?

• Metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions including high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which together may increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes.
• Sleep apnea
• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
• Depression, anxiety and eating disorders
• Infertility
• Increased risk of pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes, pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, miscarriage or premature birth
• Endometrial cancer (cancer in the lining of the uterus)