Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
What is PCOS? How will my healthcare professional
PCOS is a common hormonal imbalance that happens in diagnose PCOS?
some people. Healthcare professionals don’t know why Your healthcare professional will perform a careful
certain people have this condition but it can run in physical exam to look for signs of high androgens (such
families. In PCOS, specific hormones called androgens as acne or body hair) and get a detailed history of
are higher than normal. There are many androgen periods and other symptoms. Your healthcare
hormones, and testosterone is one of them. Typically, professional will most likely order some blood tests to
the ovaries release an egg (ovulate) about once a help with the diagnosis. Sometimes, healthcare
month. In those with PCOS, high androgen hormone professionals use an ultrasound to help them
levels get in the way of regular release of eggs and can understand your body better.
lead to acne and excess body hair (for example, on your
face) as well as changes in periods. Sometimes
healthcare professionals are not sure if a patient has
PCOS. If that is the case, your healthcare professional How is PCOS treated?
can still treat your symptoms.
For teens who are overweight, healthcare professionals
often recommend exercise and weight loss or not
gaining any more weight. Weight loss can sometimes
restore regular periods. Exercise and weight loss can
What are the symptoms of PCOS? also be especially helpful for teens who have a
darkening of the skin on their necks and armpits called
Teens with PCOS usually have problems with their
acanthosis nigricans. This type of skin change is seen
periods – for example having periods infrequently, when a hormone called insulin is too high. Having PCOS
irregularly, or having heavy bleeding. Also, teens with may put you at risk for problems related to insulin
PCOS may have acne, hair loss, and excessive facial or resistance and diabetes. Exercise and weight loss or
body hair. Many teens with PCOS are overweight. Some
avoiding weight gain can reduce your risk of developing
teens have feelings of sadness or depression; be sure to diabetes.
tell your healthcare professional if you do.
Many of the symptoms of PCOS may be treated by using
birth control pills to rebalance the body’s hormones.
This treatment helps periods be more regular and helps
Does PCOS mean that I have large cysts control acne and facial or body hair problems by
on my ovaries? lowering testosterone made by the ovaries. Your
healthcare professional can treat acne with a cream,
No! Teens with PCOS may have normal looking lotion or pill, and may talk with you about a pill for
ovaries, slightly enlarged ovaries, or many follicles in facial or body hair problems. Sometimes healthcare
their ovaries (which give the ovary a “cystic” professionals use other medications for patients with
appearance). PCOS does not cause large cysts in the diabetes, high insulin, or significant excess hair.
ovaries.
Revised: 10/2020 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology www.naspag.org
After it is treated, will PCOS come back? Is body hair bad for me?
Will I have problems later? Some teens with PCOS notice hair on their face,
Once on treatment, symptoms of PCOS are generally abdomen, chest or other parts of their body. This hair is
well controlled. Some teens reverse the symptoms with not dangerous. Some people wish to remove or reduce
weight loss. However, teens who have PCOS may be at body hair, and others do not. Many people have hair in
increased risk for having some additional problems later different parts of their bodies. You do not have to
on in life: difficulty getting pregnant and maintaining a remove body hair if you do not want to. You should let
healthy pregnancy, uterine cancer, diabetes, high your healthcare provider know if you have any concerns
cholesterol, high blood pressure and heart disease. about your body hair.
Even though some patients with PCOS take longer or
need help to become pregnant, you should always use
birth control if you are having sex and don't want to
become pregnant. Your healthcare professional can talk
with you more about this, so please ask if you have
questions.
Revised: 10/2020 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology www.naspag.org
