Neelima Chu, MD
TCOYD Newsletter, Vol. 23, 2007

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormone disorder that occurs in 5 to 10 percent of women. The exact cause of PCOS is not completely understood. There is debate about whether the cause of PCOS is primarily a disorder of pituitary (the part of the brain that secretes hormones that affect the ovaries) or a disorder originating directly from ovarian and/or adrenal glands. In addition, there is also evidence that PCOS may be directly related to a condition called the metabolic syndrom and/or type 2 diabetes.