PCOS is a complicated endocrine and metabolic disorder than can effect upwards of 10% of the female population – but it may not look the same in every case. There are four “categories” that most women with PCOS can fall under:
Type A: characterized by delayed or impared ovulation, hyperandrogenic symptoms and polycystic ovaries visualised on ultrasound
Type B: delayed or impaired ovulation, hyperandrogenic symptoms, but NORMAL looking ovaries via ultrasound
Type C: hyperandrogenic symptoms and polycystic ovaries detected via ultrasound but can have normal ovulatory cycles
Type D: impaired or delayed ovulation, polycystic ovaries detected via ultrasound but no hyperandrogenic symptoms
With so much variability within one disease, and that’s just with respect to combinations of the diagnositic parameters, not even diving into the level of insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction that can go along with all of these phenotypes of PCOS. Understanding the PCOS “type” can help prioritize and guide treatment approach.
2 thoughts on “The Many Faces of PCOS”