ABSTRACT
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous collection of signs and symptoms that, when gathered together, form a spectrum of a disorder with a mild presentation in some, and a severe disturbance of reproductive, endocrine and metabolic function in others. The pathophysiology of PCOS appears to be multifactorial and polygenic. The definition of the syndrome has been much debated. Key features include menstrual cycle disturbance, hyperandrogenism and obesity. There are many extra-ovarian aspects to the pathophysiology of PCOS, yet ovarian dysfunction is central. At a recent joint European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology/American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ESHRE/ASRM) consensus meeting, a refined definition of PCOS was agreed: namely the presence of two out of the following three criteria:
1. oligo-and/or anovulation 2. hyperandrogenism (clinical and/or biochemical) 3. polycystic ovaries, with the exclusion of other etiologies.1
