Certain reproductive problems are more common than others and
PCOS is one of the most common fertility problems that we deal
with in clinical practice. When lecturing the medical students
and residents I spend a lot of time talking about PCOS because
this is a problem that all Ob Gyn physicians should understand
and manage. That being said, it sometimes seems to me that the
patients understand a lot more about PCOS than their doctor.
Before I go any further let me set the record straight –
polycystic ovaries are not like polycystic kidneys. In PCOS the
cysts are just undeveloped follicles waiting for the signal to
grow. The cysts in PCOS do not rupture leading to Emergency Room
visits and they do not become cancerous. So let’s start out with
some basics about PCOS and then move to more specific questions.
Of course, if you already have a copy of “100 Questions and
Answers about Infertility” then turn to page 34 at the bottom
and read along. 22. What is polycystic ovarian syndrome?
Polycystic ovarian syndrome