Situation analysis of polycystic ovary syndrome in Central and East Asia

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a rampant endocrinopathy affecting almost 6% to 10% of reproductive-age females. The prevalence and characteristics vary geographically among regions and countries and appear to be linked to differing genetic and environmental tendencies that need recognition in routine clinical practice. Geographic segregation can reflect differences in prevalence, clinical manifestation, complications, psychosocial impact, and response to management protocols. Ethnic variation is important from the perspective of screening and diagnosing, developing management guidelines, and assessing the response to treatment. Although parallel and ongoing research is also carried out by global and regional pharmaceutical markets to analyze consumption of products, PCOS continues to be a burden to the health budget. This chapter provides an overview of the prevalence and causes of PCOS in Central and East Asia to arrive at a better understanding of the cultural beliefs, lifestyle behaviors, and genetic predisposition of the problem and to assess the psychosocial impact of PCOS in terms of fertility problems. Research on female health in Central Asia was limited to maternal health indicators and has only recently received attention to include problems like PCOS. The population in East Asian countries is ethnically the same, following the same religious and traditional beliefs and health practices with minor variations. The health situation in East Asia has achieved comparable standards in global health statistics.