Pathophysiology of polycystic ovary syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), an endocrine disorder in reproductive-age females, has a multifactorial etiology. Widely considered as a diagnosis of exclusion, it continues to be the universal cause of infertility related to anovulation among females of child-bearing age and estimates suggest that up to 20% of reproductive-age females may be affected by PCOS. Because of a complex pathophysiologic basis, involving an interwoven interplay of hormonal aberrations and genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors, PCOS presents as a spectrum of disease with mild to severe presentations. This chapter aims to explore the pathophysiologic basis of PCOS with an insight into the variety of dysregulatory processes that contribute to the disease process.