Causes of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Abstract

PCOS is a multifactorial syndromic disorder—the exact etiology is not known. Genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors may be the causative factors. It is the most common cause of an-ovulatory infertility, and in adolescents, the young girl may present with irregular periods. Most of the women with PCOS are either overweight or obese. Another variety of PCOS women is lean. Sleep apnea, metabolic syndrome, and endometrial carcinoma are the late consequences of women with PCOS. As new research shows that gut microbiome is one of the attributing factors of PCOS, it will lead to a new horizon in the management of PCOS. Fecal implantation or probiotics may be helpful in PCOS management. Physical and emotional stress is one of the contributing factors to PCOS. Neuroendocrine factors are also an attributive factor for the development of PCOS. Most of the research about neuroendocrine factors is very preliminary and limited to the mice model. The incidence of PCOS varies from region to region as dietary and environmental factors differ. More human research is required to have more knowledge about the etiology of PCOS, which will guide the management of PCOS.