A condition first recognised nearly 80 years ago affects as many as 10-20 percent of reproductive age group women. That means in regions where the prevalence is about 20 percent, like in Kashmir valley, 1 in 5 women have this condition. The condition is called polycystic ovary syndrome, commonly referred to as PCOS. The name of this condition is a misnomer as multiple cysts in ovaries, as the name suggests, is not the only feature or the predominant feature of this disorder.
PCOS is in fact a multifactorial and multi-system disorder that manifest in various ways. Some girls with PCOS have menstrual problems, some have cosmetic problems (like excessive facial hair, oily skin or acne) whereas others have cysts in ovaries or difficulty in conceiving. A girl with PCOS may have one, two or many of these features at the same time. Symptoms of PCOS can start in adolescence but may be noticed…
