PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - W Colin Duncan
TI  - A guide to understanding polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
AID  - 10.1136/jfprhc-2012-100505
DP  - 2014 Jul 01
TA  - Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care
PG  - 217--225
VI  - 40
IP  - 3
4099  - http://jfprhc.bmj.com/content/40/3/217.short
4100  - http://jfprhc.bmj.com/content/40/3/217.full
SO  - J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care2014 Jul 01; 40
AB  - Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the commonest endocrine disorder affecting women of reproductive age. Some 20% of women will have polycystic ovaries on an ultrasound scan and around 7% of women have the additional clinical or biochemical features of PCOS. As a complex multisystem disorder its background can be confusing to understand. They key feature, however, is an increased production of androgen by the ovaries. This review uses ovarian biology to describe a strategy to aid understanding and explanation of PCOS. This framework can be also be used to teach about PCOS and to inform different approaches to its management.