Signs and symptoms
Polycystic ovarian syndrome is said to be heterogeneous; that is, patients may experience a wide variety of different symptoms to a greater or lesser degree, and vary over time. Also, a uniform and precise definition of the syndrome is lacking. Women often go to their doctor because they are having menstrual irregularities, experiencing infertility, and/or are having symptoms associated with androgen excess. They may experience:
- Abnormal uterine bleeding
- Acanthosis nigricans
- Acne
- Amenorrhoea
- Decreased breast size
- Deeper voice (rare)
- Enlarged ovaries
- Hirsutism involving male hair growth patterns such as hair on the face, sideburn area, chin, upper lip, lower abdominal midline, chest, areola, lower back, buttock, and inner thigh
- Weight gain/obesity, with fat distribution around the centre of the body
- Skin tags in the armpits or neck
- Thinning hair, with male pattern baldness
