Polycystic ovary disease

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Endocrine glands	Female reproductive anatomy	Follicle development	Pelvic laparoscopy
Stein-Leventhal syndrome	Uterus

Polycystic ovaries; Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS); Stein-Leventhal syndrome; Polyfollicular ovarian disease.

If you have polycystic ovary disease, you are likely to experience some of the following symptoms:

• Abnormal, irregular, or scanty (very light or infrequent) menstrual periods
• Absent periods , usually (but not always) after having one or more normal menstrual periods during puberty (secondary amenorrhea)
• Weight gain, even obesity
• Insulin resistance and diabetes
• Infertility
• Increased hair growth; distribution of body hair may be in a male pattern
• Virilization -- development of male sex characteristics in a female. This may include an increase in body hair, facial hair, a deepening of the voice, male-pattern baldness, and clitoral enlargement.
• Decreased breast size
• Aggravation of acne

In a pelvic examination, the health care provider may note an enlarged clitoris (very rare finding) and enlarged ovaries.

Tests include:

• FSH levels -- low or normal
• LH levels -- generally high
• Androgen (testosterone) levels -- high
• Estrogen (primarily estrone and estradiol) levels -- relatively high
• Urine 17-ketosteroids  -- possibly high
• Vaginal ultrasound and, possibly, abdominal ultrasound
• Abdominal MRI
• Laparoscopy
• Ovarian biopsy

Other blood tests that may be done include:

• Serum HCG (pregnancy test) negative
• Thyroid function tests
• Prolactin levels

Review Date: 05/12/2006
Reviewed By: Robert Hurd, MD, Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.