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Definition
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 hold eggs. With PCOS, the ovaries make the follicles, but the eggs do not mature or leave the ovary. The immature follicles can turn into fluid-filled sacs called cysts . Most women with PCOS have cysts. But women with ovarian cysts do not necessarily have PCOS.
Ovary and Fallopian Tube
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