Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition in which a woman has an imbalance of female sex hormones which may lead to changes in the menstrual cycle, cysts in the ovaries, trouble getting pregnant, and other health problems. Infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods, excess hair growth, acne, and obesity can all occur in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Women with PCOS are more likely to develop Endometrial cancer, Infertility and Breast cancer (slightly increased risk). As the most common cause of anovulatory infertility, PCOS affects 6% 8% of childbearing-aged women[4,5]. PCOS is also associated with endocrine-metabolic problems leading to a broad range of adverse effects that include dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.[1, 6, 7] Early diagnosis and treatment along with weight loss may reduce the risk of long-term complications.
The exact cause of polycystic ovary syndrome is unknown. Heritable tendencies have long been recognized, but complex interactions exist between genetic and environmental factors. To identify causative genes, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of PCOS was conducted in Han Chinese.