Christian Pope, M.D.: A look at Polycystic ovarian syndrome
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a disorder characterized
by laboratory and/or clinical findings of higher levels of
androgens (specific hormones that act as male sex hormones),
difficulty with ovulating and menstrual irregularity, and
polycystic appearance of ovaries on ultrasound.  Its prevalence
is nearly 10 percent among reproductive-age women and may
represent the largest underappreciated segment of the female
population at risk for cardiovascular disease.  What are some of
the symptoms of PCOS?  Most women suffering from PCOS present
with one or more of the following symptoms or characteristics:
irregular menses, hirsutism (excessive facial hair), alopecia
(loss of hair, or male pattern balding), high levels of
androgens or specific hormones on lab testing, and obesity,
although as much as 20 percent of women with PCOS are not obese.
Many women also present with a variety of menstrual-related
complaints, from no menses for years to heavy