What does polycystic changes in both ovaries mean? What is polycystic ovary syndrome?

There are 56 ethnic groups in China and hundreds of types of infertility. So what is polycystic ovary syndrome? What are the causes of polycystic ovary syndrome?

What is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?

Polycystic ovary is an endocrine disorder syndrome characterized by the coexistence of reproductive dysfunction and abnormal glucose metabolism. Its important characteristics include persistent anovulation, immature ovarian follicles, excessive androgen and insulin resistance. It is a common cause of menstrual disorders in women of childbearing age and one of the important causes of female infertility.

Causes of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic ovary can be caused by genetic factors. According to data, most female patients with polycystic ovary have a family history. In addition, due to life factors, some women are under long-term mental stress, or take medications, or suffer from other diseases, which causes abnormalities in the regulation function of the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis in women, resulting in excessive production of androgens in the ovarian stroma and theca cells. Excessive obesity is also a factor, and patients with hyperinsulinemia may also develop polycystic ovary.

Symptoms of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

1. Chronic anovulation: manifested as menstrual disorders, infrequent menstruation, scanty menstrual flow, or even amenorrhea. A small number of patients have rapid menstruation after a long time, with heavy menstrual flow and long menstrual period.

2. Infertility: The cause of infertility may be anovulation caused by hormone disorders or ovarian dysfunction, or it may be caused by poor egg quality or progesterone deficiency, which causes poor endometrial growth and is not conducive to the implantation and development of the fertilized egg.

3. Hirsutism: Excessive androgens in the body cause hirsutism, so the distribution of hair tends to be masculine, such as increased beard, chest hair, hair from the navel to pubic area, and anus and limbs, and pubic hair is coarse, thick and black.

4. Obesity: About 25% of patients will suffer from obesity. The relationship between obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome is very complicated. It may be related to reduced insulin sensitivity. Moreover, obesity still exists after androgen drops to normal.

How to diagnose the cause of polycystic ovary syndrome?

1. Infertility examination: Bilateral ovarian enlargement or ovarian swelling and toughness although not obviously enlarged. In many patients, enlarged ovaries can be felt through infertility examination, but they need to be discovered through pelvic pneumatic radiography or laparoscopy.

2. Ultrasound examination: bilateral ovaries are polycystic and enlarged, with thickened and echogenic capsules. Several days later, a large number of cystic follicles with a diameter of 2 to 7 mm can be seen under the capsule. The ovarian stroma has uneven echogenicity and the endometrium is thickened. Care should be taken to exclude uterine and ovarian tumors and adrenal lesions.

3. Laparoscopic examination: It can be directly seen that the bilateral ovaries are multicystic and enlarged, and the capsule is thickened and grayish white.

4. Hormone measurement: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome have abnormal hormone levels, with follicle-stimulating hormone at a low level and luteinizing hormone at a high level, resulting in increased androgen levels.