What are the causes of polycystic ovary

Polycystic ovary disease is a very common gynecological disease worldwide, mainly affecting women's endocrine system. The occurrence of polycystic ovary can cause patients to experience amenorrhea, menstrual disorders or obesity, mainly because it is believed that the ovaries secrete too much androgen.

The clinical symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome are as follows:

1. Menstrual disorders and infertility

A small number of patients with mild PCOS may have regular ovulation, which may manifest as normal menstruation, but clinically most PCOS patients have infrequent menstruation, followed by amenorrhea, and a considerable proportion also have functional uterine bleeding. Menstrual disorders often occur during adolescence. Some patients who used to have regular menstruation may develop menstrual disorders and infertility after miscarriage, weight gain, emotional or other mental factors or environmental changes. Menstrual disorders and infertility tend to become more serious with age. Most patients present with primary infertility, while some present with secondary infertility. Secondary infertility patients are mostly caused by changes in menstrual cycle due to weight changes caused by reasons such as miscarriage or childbirth.

2. Symptoms of excessive androgen

Hirsutism: Most patients with PCOS have hirsutism, mainly genital hair. The hair is mostly distributed around the upper lip and areola, and extends to the anus, groin and upper end of the femur. Some extend to the midline of the abdomen, and the hair is relatively dense.

Acne: mostly distributed on the face, chest and back, and old scars may be seen.

Masculinization changes: Masculinization changes occur when the testosterone level is ≥6.94nmol/L (200ng/dl). The Adam's apple is obvious, the voice is hoarse, the muscles are large, and the body shape loses its feminine shape and becomes more masculine. However, some patients also have typical masculinization symptoms without high testosterone levels.

3. Overweight or obese

Patients with polycystic ovary syndrome are mostly centrally obese and accompanied by insulin resistance. Acanthosis nigricans is an important sign of moderate to severe insulin resistance, which is characterized by gray-brown pigmentation on the skin of the labia, neck, back, armpits, under the breasts and groin, and symmetrical thickening of the skin. Patients with polycystic ovary syndrome often have concurrent hyperandrogenism, hyperinsulinemia, and acanthosis nigricans, which is called hyperandrogenism-insulin resistance-acanthosis nigricans syndrome. Obesity in patients with PCOS is mostly concentrated in the upper body. Waist-to-hip ratio is used clinically to make the distinction, and a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.85 is considered female obesity.