Prevalence of polycystic ovaries in women with anovulation and idiopathic hirsutism.

TLDR

The study defined polycystic ovaries by ultrasound in 173 women presenting with anovulation or hirsutism. Polycystic ovaries were present in 26 % of amenorrhoeic, 87 % of oligomenorrhoeic, and 92 % of hirsute women with regular cycles, occurring in 57 % of all anovulatory patients, and were often accompanied by endocrine abnormalities but not always linked to hirsutism or elevated luteinizing hormone.

Abstract

Polycystic ovaries were defined with ultrasound imaging in a series of 173 women who presented to a gynaecological endocrine clinic with anovulation or hirsutism. Polycystic ovaries were found in 26% of women with amenorrhoea, 87% with oligomenorrhoea, and 92% with idiopathic hirsutism--that is, hirsutism but with regular menstrual cycles. Fewer than half the anovulatory patients with polycystic ovaries were hirsute, but in 93% of cases there was at least one endocrine abnormality to support the diagnosis of polycystic ovaries--that is, raised serum concentrations of luteinising hormone, raised luteinising hormone: follicle stimulating hormone ratio, or raised serum concentrations of testosterone or androstenedione. This study shows that polycystic ovaries, as defined by pelvic ultrasound, are very common in anovulatory women (57% of cases) and are not necessarily associated with hirsutism or a raised serum luteinising hormone concentration. Most women with hirsutism and regular menses have polycystic ovaries so that the term "idiopathic" hirsutism no longer seems appropriate.