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Polycystic Ovary Syndrome pp 3–10Cite as

Diagnostic Criteria and Epidemiology of PCOS

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Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is considered as the most common endocrine disorder amongst reproductive-age women. While characterized by a chronic course, and features that suggest varying combinations of reproductive functional deficits (such as ovulatory dysfunction or polycystic ovarian morphology) and androgen excess (such as acne, and hirsutism), the diagnosis of PCOS is based on well-defined criteria. Ethnicity, lifestyle, and certain underlying secondary disorders can impact on diagnostic accuracy of the disorder. There are currently three major sets of diagnostic criteria for the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), with slight variations between them. The prevalence of PCOS varies depending on the diagnostic criteria utilized as well as the region and ethnicity studied. The prevalence of PCOS is high among women with resistant acne and hirsutism, so patients presenting with these findings should be screened for menstrual irregularities. A timely diagnosis of this chronic disorder allows an opportunity for early detection of a spectrum of morbidities that are commonly encountered in women with PCOS (such as metabolic syndrome, impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia and depression), and will allow for timely institution of preventive strategies aimed at minimizing the overall health risk in this population.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Southern California, 2020 Zonal Ave, Rm 534, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA

    Heather R. Burks M.D.

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, 2410 WP, 920 SL Young Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA

    Robert A. Wild M.D., D.Phil., M.P.H.

Authors
  1. Heather R. Burks M.D.
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  2. Robert A. Wild M.D., D.Phil., M.P.H.
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Correspondence to Robert A. Wild M.D., D.Phil., M.P.H. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine Program for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Yale Reproductive Endocrinology, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

    Lubna Pal

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Burks, H.R., Wild, R.A. (2014). Diagnostic Criteria and Epidemiology of PCOS. In: Pal, L. (eds) Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8394-6_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8394-6_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-8393-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-8394-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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