Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a common condition that affects women during their reproductive age group. Around 10-25 % of women have it, depending on how the physician defines the disease.
To say that a lady has PCOS, any two of the following three conditions should be present
1. Irregular periods
2. Excessive hair growth on the face /other areas of the body ( or high male hormones in blood)
3. An appearance diagnostic of polycystic ovary in the ultrasound scan
Many women approach us with an ultrasound, believing that they suffer from PCOS. It is not so. Many other conditions, e.g. thyroid diseases, may also have these cysts in the ovary. Even a small population of normal women may also have it. So, the treating doctor will make sure that you don’t have any other disease that may cause cysts in your ovary before diagnosing PCOS.
Dr. Mathew John MD, DM