Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
(PCOS, Stein-Leventhal Syndrome)

Revising Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Revising Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Previous Contributing Medical Editor: Carolyn J. Crandall, MD

• What is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)?
• What are the symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome?
• What causes polycystic ovarian syndrome?
• How is polycystic ovarian syndrome diagnosed?
• What conditions can be associated with polycystic ovarian syndrome?
• What treatments are available for polycystic ovarian syndrome?
• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome At A Glance

Weight Gain and PCOS Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, Jr., MD, FACP, FACR A Viewer Asks: I have gained a serious amount of weight since the loss of my periods and my doctor believes I have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Do women who are treated for this condition lose the weight they gained due to PCOS? Dr. Stöppler's Answer: It is still being debated whether the weight gain is what caused the polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) to emerge, or whether PCOS causes weight gain. It is known that obesity, sometimes even beginning in childhood, is present in about half of women with PCOS. Read the rest of Dr. Stöppler's Answer » Top Searched PCOS Terms: PCOS symptoms, Clomid (clomiphene), Metformin (glucophage), treatment of PCOS, pregnancy, causes of PCOS, weight loss

What is polycystic ovarian syndrome?

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), also known by the name Stein-Leventhal syndrome, is a hormonal problem that causes women to have a variety of symptoms.

What are the symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)?

The symptoms of PCOS include:

1. Irregular or no menstrual periods

2. Acne

3. Obesity, and

4. Excess hair growth

Other signs and symptoms of PCOS include:

• weight gain,

• acne,

• oily skin,

• dandruff,

• infertility,

• skin discolorations,

• high cholesterol levels,

• elevated blood pressure, and

• abnormal hair growth and distribution.

Any of the above symptoms and signs may be absent in PCOS, with the exception of irregular or no menstrual periods. All women with PCOS will have irregular or no menstrual periods. Women who have PCOS do not regularly ovulate; that is, they do not release an egg every month. This is why they do not have regular periods.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) - Effective Treatments

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