PCOS stands for Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome. PCOS is actually a misnomer, because it only refers to one of many symptoms associated with this disorder. It affects between 5% to 10% of all women and is one of the leading causes of infertility.

Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is also known as:

• poly-cystic ovaries
• sclero-cystic ovarian disease
• poly-cystic ovarian disease (PCOD)
• Stein-Leventhal Syndrome
  

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
Symptoms can be mild or severe, and can vary widely from woman to woman. This is part of the reason doctors often miss the diagnosis. Someone with PCOS may have one or all of the following symptoms in varying degrees:

• irregular periods: abnormal, irregular, heavy or scanty (oligomenorrhea)
• absent periods (amenorrhea)
• ovarian cysts
• hirsutism (excess facial and/or body hair)
• alopecia (male-pattern hair loss)
• obesity
• acne
• skin tags
• acanthosis nigricans (brown skin patches, often found on the nape of the neck)
• high cholesterol levels
• high blood pressure
• exhaustion and/or lack of mental alertness
• decreased sex drive
• excess "male" hormones, such as androgens, DHEAS, or testosterone
• infertility
• decreased breast size
• enlarged clitoris(rare)
• enlarged ovaries
• enlarged uterus

In this session, you will learn about PCOS and what steps to take if you suspect you have this condition.