Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), also known as Stein-Leventhal syndrome, is a condition in women characterized by an irregular menstrual cycles, excess of androgens (male hormones) and cysts in the ovaries. Despite the name though, cysts can sometimes be absent. The condition is one of the more common causes of infertility in women although not every case of PCOS will affect a woman’s ability to fall pregnant. Other frequently associated features with PCOS is insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance and obesity which are factors that appear to complicate the syndrome even further.
This condition is very different from suffering the condition known as ovarian cysts, polycystic ovaries happens due to the ovaries being covered in very small follicles. It is a condition which can have an affect on infertility and has also been known to be the cause of reoccurring miscarriages; in fact these two conditions are very often a sign of polycystic ovarian syndrome.
During a woman’s menstrual cycle very small follicles will grow on the ovaries and within these follicles eggs will develop; only one of the eggs, the one which matures the fastest will be released into the fallopian tubes. This is what is known as ovulation, there could be hundreds of remaining follicles and these will degenerate.
Ovarian cysts can occur in women of all ages and they are very common, however they are more common in women who haven’t gone through menopause and women who have irregular periods are more at risk of developing them than women whose periods are regular.
A cyst is a fluid filled sac like structure that develops on the ovaries, when ovarian cysts are first diagnosed it can be frightening however most cysts are benign, which means that they aren’t cancerous but harmless.
