The Prevalence of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Brief Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the major endocrinopathy among reproductive-aged women, is not yet perceived as an important health problem in the world. It affects 4%–20% of women of reproductive age worldwide. The prevalence, diagnosis, etiology, management, clinical practices, psychological issues, and prevention are some of the most confusing aspects associated with PCOS. Aim: The exact prevalence figures regarding PCOS are limited and unclear. The aim of this review is to summarize comprehensively the current knowledge on the prevalence of PCOS. Materials and Methods: Literature search was performed through PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar (up to December 2019). All relevant articles published in English language were identified following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Results: Our analysis yielded 27 surveys with a pooled mean prevalence of 21.27% using different diagnostic criteria. The proportion of women with PCOS also increased in the last decade. Conclusion: The current review summarizes and interprets the results of all published prevalence studies and highlights the burden of the syndrome, thereby supporting early identification and prevention of PCOS in order to reverse the persistent upward trend of prevalence.

Menstrual Cycle Hormonal Changes and Energy Substrate Metabolism in Exercising Women: A Perspective

“…Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are an example of how something major can be missed without appropriate medical screening. The prevalence of PCOS is ~6–9% of adult women, and the condition can involve infrequent or prolonged menstrual cycles; but, some women with PCOS have regular monthly cycles [ 40 ]. These PCOS women, however, also typically have abnormal FSSH levels which affect their physiological responses to exercise.…”

Endometrial Receptivity in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

“…It seems that the criteria used for diagnosis can also impact the prevalence of infertility which is higher in women with polycystic ovary morphology in patients diagnosed according to Androgen Excess Society criteria (21,7%), while in patients diagnosed according to Rotterdam criteria infertility is present in only 6% of them [5].…”

“…Moreover, it is a leading cause of female infertility [2,3] and the most common cause of anovulatory infertility [4]. A systematic review from 2020 [5] found that there is significant variation in prevalence probably according to ethnic background and design of the published studies, but also to diagnosis criteria used to identify the disease. Thus, they found that the reported prevalence of PCOS vary between 2,2% and 15-20%, with the studies using the Rotterdam criteria reporting the highest prevalence [5].…”

A Review on CYP11A1, CYP17A1, and CYP19A1 Polymorphism Studies: Candidate Susceptibility Genes for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Infertility

“…In addition, they are also at risk of developing psychological disturbances such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, which could be due to the physical manifestations of hyperandrogenism, such as hirsutism, male body configuration, and obesity [ 7 , 8 ]. The prevalence of PCOS varies, ranging from 4–20 percent depending on various subpopulations that are influenced by the environmental conditions and genetic variations [ 9 ]. Anovulation is one of the most significant reasons for infertility in females [ 10 ].…”