IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2589: Geographical Prevalence of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome as Determined by Region and Race/Ethnicity

IJERPH, Vol. 15, Pages 2589: Geographical Prevalence of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome as Determined by Region and Race/Ethnicity International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph15112589 Authors: Wendy M. Wolf Rachel A. Wattick Olivia N. Kinkade Melissa D. Olfert Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is thought to be the most common endocrine disorder found in women. Common symptoms include irregular menstrual cycle, polycystic ovaries, and hirsutism, as well as an increased risk for a multitude of conditions, including insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and infertility. The prevalence of polycystic ovarian syndrome is generally thought to be between 3% and 10% but it is widely unknown for specific subpopulations based on geographical location and race/ethnicity. Based on the high degree of variability and inconsistencies between the different diagnostic criteria, there is a unique challenge that exists when determining the prevalence of this syndrome. There are a large percentage of individuals that remain undiagnosed even after visiting multiple health care providers. Most studies conducted across the world are limited by small sample size, selection bias, and lack of comparability across studies. There have been very few studies that have examined the prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome across the United States. Based on the National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s diagnostic criteria, there is a similar prevalence of...
Source: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research