Disease or Syndrome
polycystic ovary syndrome
[ pah-lee-sis-tik oh-vuh-ree sin-drome ]
Subclass of:
Ovarian Cysts
Also called:
PCOS; Stein-Leventhal Syndrome; Hyperandrogenic Chronic Anovulation
Definitions related to polycystic ovary syndrome:
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A complex disorder characterized by infertility, HIRSUTISM; OBESITY; and various menstrual disturbances such as OLIGOMENORRHEA; AMENORRHEA; ANOVULATION. Polycystic ovary syndrome is usually associated with bilateral enlarged ovaries studded with atretic follicles, not with cysts. The term, polycystic ovary, is misleading.NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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A condition marked by infertility, enlarged ovaries, menstrual problems, high levels of male hormones, excess hair on the face and body, acne, and obesity. Women with PCOS have an increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and endometrial cancer.NCI Dictionary of Cancer TermsU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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A condition of unknown or heterogenous genetic etiology that is characterized by hyperandrogenism and ovarian dysfunction, though the clinical features of the condition may differ between teenage girls and adult women. For teenage girls, the characteristic features generally manifest as persistent, otherwise unexplained hyperandrogenism and reduced or absent ovulation with associated menstrual irregularity, as determined by age- and pubertal stage-appropriate criteria. Additional clinical manifestations include some or all of the following: obesity, insulin resistance/hyperinsulinemia or frank type 2 diabetes mellitus, acanthosis nigricans, hirsutism, and polycystic ovary on ultrasound.NICHD Pediatric TerminologyU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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A disorder that manifests as multiple cysts on the ovaries. It results in hormonal imbalances and leads to irregular and abnormal menstrual periods, excess growth of hair, acne eruptions and obesity.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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An inherited disorder characterized by the formation of abnormal cysts in enlarged ovaries; a leading cause of female infertility and a common cause of hirsutism.Harvard Dictionary of Health TermsHarvard Medical Publishing, 2011
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Clinical symptom complex characterized by presence of multiple cysts on the ovaries, oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea, anovulation and regularly associated with excessive amounts of body hair (hirsuitism), excessive body weight, infertility and insulin resistance.CRISP ThesaurusNational Institutes of Health, 2006
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Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) happens when a woman's ovaries or adrenal glands produce more male hormones than normal. PCOS causes cysts (fluid-filled sacs) to grow on the ovaries. Symptoms include Irregular menstrual periods; Infertility; Pelvic pain; Excess hair growth on the face, chest, stomach, or thighs; Weight gain; Acne or oily skin; Patches of thickened skin. Women with PCOS are at higher risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and high blood pressure. PCOS is more common in women who have obesity or have a mother or sister with PCOS. To diagnose PCOS, your health care provider may do a physical exam, pelvic exam, blood tests, and an ultrasound. There is no cure, but diet, exercise, and medicines can help control the symptoms. Birth control pills help women have normal periods, reduce male hormone levels, and clear acne. Treatments for infertility caused by PCOS may include medicines, surgery, and in vitro fertilization (IVF). NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentMedlinePlusU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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Polycystic ovary syndrome is a condition that affects women in their child-bearing years and alters the levels of multiple hormones, resulting in problems affecting many body systems. Most women with polycystic ovary syndrome produce excess male sex hormones (androgens), a condition called hyperandrogenism. Having too much of these hormones typically leads to excessive body hair growth (hirsutism), acne, and male pattern baldness. Hyperandrogenism and abnormal levels of other sex hormones prevent normal release of egg cells from the ovaries (ovulation) and regular menstrual periods, leading to difficulty conceiving a child (subfertility) or a complete inability to conceive (infertility). For those who achieve pregnancy, there is an increased risk of complications and pregnancy loss. Due to irregular and infrequent menstruation and hormone abnormalities, affected women have an increased risk of cancer of the uterine lining (endometrial cancer). In polycystic ovary syndrome, one or both ovaries can contain multiple small, immature ovarian follicles that can appear as cysts on medical imaging. Normally, ovarian follicles contain egg cells, which are released during ovulation. In polycystic ovary syndrome, abnormal hormone levels prevent follicles from growing and maturing to release egg cells. Instead, these immature follicles accumulate in the ovaries. Affected women can have 12 or more of these follicles. The number of these follicles usually decreases with age...MedlinePlus GeneticsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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Polycystic ovary syndrome is a clinical syndrome characterized by mild obesity, irregular menses or amenorrhea, and signs of androgen excess (eg, hirsutism, acne). Most patients have multiple cysts in the ovaries. Diagnosis is by pregnancy testing, hormone measurement, and imaging to exclude a virilizing tumor. Treatment is symptomatic.Merck & Co., Inc., 2020
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The major features of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) include menstrual dysfunction, anovulation, and signs of hyperandrogenism. Although the exact etiopathophysiology of this condition is unclear, PCOS can result from abnormal function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis.WebMD, 2019
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Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age. Women with PCOS may have infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods or excess male hormone (androgen) levels. The ovaries may develop numerous small collections of fluid (follicles) and fail to regularly release eggs.Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
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Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a health problem that can affect a woman's menstrual cycle, ability to have children, hormones, heart, blood vessels, and appearance. Women with this condition typically have high levels of hormones called androgens, missed or irregular periods, and many small cysts in their ovaries. The cause of...National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
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Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) includes symptoms of hyperandrogenism, presence of hyperandrogenemia, oligo/anovulation, and polycystic ovarian morphology on ultrasound.Athenahealth, Inc., 2019
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Stein-Leventhal syndrome, disorder in women that is characterized by an elevated level of male hormones (androgens) and infrequent or absent ovulation (anovulation). About 5 percent of women are affected by Stein-Leventhal syndrome, which is responsible for a substantial proportion of cases of...Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
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