Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a chronic endocrine disorder in women. Characteristics of PCOS are:
* High levels of male hormones (androgens)
* Infertility
* Obesity
* Insulin resistance
* Hair growth on face and body
* Anovulation—when the ovaries make few or no eggs
Ovaries make follicles that develop into eggs. With PCOS, the ovaries make the follicles, but the eggs do not mature or leave the ovary. The immature follicles can develop into fluid-filled sacs called cysts. Most women with PCOS have cysts, but all women with ovarian cysts do not necessarily have PCOS.
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