Symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome

November 30, 3:41 PMHartford Women's Health ExaminerElizabeth Stannard Gromisch

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The changes to the ovary from PCOS

The National Women's Health Information Center

The National Women’s Health Information Center states that polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, is a serious health condition that affects women: the main symptoms are disruptions of the menstrual cycle and reproductive abilities, though hormone levels and the patient’s appearance are also affected by the disease. The National Women’s Health Information Center further adds that one in ten women are diagnosed with PCOS, with patients as young as 11 years old; PCOS is also the leading cause of infertility in women.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) notes that the following are symptoms of PCOS:

• Menstruation Abnormalities: these include irregular, lighter, infrequent or missing periods (the last symptom especially if the woman was having a regular menstrual cycle).
• Infertility
• Appearance Changes: the hormone changes from PCOS result in physical changes in the woman, such as worse acne, decreased breast size, increased body hair and weight gain. Some women may also suffer from virilization, which is the development of male physical characteristics.
• Diabetes and Insulin Resistance

PCOS puts women at risk for other conditions, such as high blood pressure, so women who think that they are displaying the aforementioned symptoms should see their doctors.