Your Appointment Today

to Start Your Family Tomorrow

You are here

Home » Fertility Issues » What Causes Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)?

What Causes Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)?

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is indicated by many small cysts in the ovaries. Health care professionals may also call it polycystic ovary disease, polycystic ovaries, Stein-Leventhal syndrome, or polyfollicular ovarian disease.

PCOS affects about 5 percent to 10 percent of women of childbearing age and occurs among all races and nationalities. It is the most common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age and is a leading cause of infertility. It is estimated that as many as 30% of women have some characteristics of the syndrome.

The ovaries of women with PCOS produce higher than normal amounts of androgens (male hormones) which can interfere with the development and release of eggs. Normally when an egg matures, the follicle (sac within the ovary that contains eggs) releases the egg so it can travel to the uterus for fertilization. With PCOS, the eggs in these follicles may not mature or in some case egg maturation is altered. Instead of being released during the menstrual cycle, the follicles build up in the ovaries and form cysts. Because they are not ovulating and releasing an egg each month it is common for women with PCOS to have irregular or missed periods.

What Causes PCOS?

The exact cause of PCOS is unknown. Polycystic ovarian syndrome is called a syndrome rather than a disease because it has many possible causes or characteristics, rather than one known cause. Although the ovaries of women with this syndrome contain a number of small cysts, women without PCOS may also have a similar number of cysts. For this reason, researchers believe the cysts themselves may not be causing the problem.

It is believed the leading cause of PCOS could be insulin resistance. Women with PCOS are often found to have a malfunction of insulin production, formation, or action. Too much insulin signals the ovaries to release higher-than-normal levels of androgens. Elevated insulin levels are unhealthy and may eventually increase your risk not only for infertility but also for diabetes, certain cancers, and heart disease.

PCOS may also have a genetic predisposition and run in families. However, there is not yet enough scientific evidence to prove the condition is inherited.

If you have PCOS-related infertility it is probably due to the inability of the ovaries to release an egg, or the ovaries are releasing eggs that are not fully developed. However, not all women with PCOS have difficulty becoming pregnant. To learn more about PCOS, visit Fertility Authority's PCOS Channel.

Watch these videos about PCOS:

To connect with other women with PCOS, please join our PCOS Support Group.

Features: 
Special Features (slideshow)

Comments

Submitted by little girl blue on Wed, 03/30/2011 - 2:18pm
my periods never really had a normal cycle, it varied since i started having them. But when i was late 17 i started having problems. By the time i was 18 i wasn't having a period for months. i tried to get pregnant but it never happened. finally i went to see a gynecologist who just placed me on microgynon 30, then i begun to returned normally. eventually the irregular cycles and months of absence begun again. i found out later that my ovaries were cystic, but was convinced that it were the pills. with my gynecologist not giving me the answer i needed i turned to another doctor. i had an ultrasound done yesterday and it is confirmed that i have PCOS. i am so depressed and now my boyfriend is ignoring me. the tears won't stop and i feel so sad. what treatments is available for this condition that would enable me to get pregnant? and how do yo deal with the depression?

Submitted by Jenn on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 3:05pm
I have had several cysts the size of a large grapefruit removed. Each time while they were in there they did an ovarian resection. Each time I conceived within 10 months, I also used clomid. I know that most docs don't do these any more but it worked for me. I now have 4 beautiful children 8,6,4,2! I have only had one miscarriage. My heart goes out to all of you, I wanted you to know that you're not alone and it is possible don't loose hope!

Submitted by Jobs in Kent on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 4:06am
Good to know about these things, this is a great information for everyone. Thanks for sharing

Submitted by emilyyyyjeann on Sun, 06/05/2011 - 9:38am
im 19 and was diagnosed when i was 17... it really sucks.. ill be the first one to say that im fat.. and i really hate it.. i mean, its not that i eat all the time, i dont. fruits and veggies. i dont drink pop, only water so i dont know how im gaining weight. also i joined a gym and i go 5 day a week for like 2 hours everyday.. and yet im still not losing what i want :(

Submitted by Yolanda on Sun, 06/05/2011 - 10:26am
I am 27 years old and was diagnosed with pcos almost 2 years ago. I am in a stage of my life where i am ready to start a family. My fiance and i have been trying to conceive for about a year now an nothing has happened. I am starting to get depressed about this. My finance said that it's okay and it will happen, but i'm not to convinced of it. I tried telling him that he don't understand how i'm feeling cause he have kids already. I can't even find anyone to give me health insurance because of this. I would love to start taking something just to see if it will help. I would be happy with one baby if it's at all possible. Going through this is really taking a lot out of me right now. It's to the point where i cry myself to sleep some nights. I REALLY NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Submitted by apruiz09 on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 10:53am
I am 30 yrs old and have PCOS. I was diagnosed 6 yrs ago right after I had my daughter. It took me 3 years to concieve with my daughter and after she was born I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and few months later PCOS. My husband have been trying to get pregnant since but have not been able to. I currently have no insurance and can't afford fertility treatments. I can barely afford my diabetes meds. I was diagnosed with vertigo (dizziness) a couple years ago and I never put the two together and lately after gaining more weight I am constantly tired. I am hanging in and holding on to every last strand of hope that I will have another child but at this point it looks like I wont get anywhere.

Submitted by wanda on Sat, 07/09/2011 - 9:29pm
Hi im 31 I was told i have pcos at age 13 i had my period for 2 hole weeks .MY mom never took me to the dr about it util i started dateing.ive to docters after docters never new what was going on I had a big feeling that i could not have a child of my own . I got married at 18 went to more docters . they told me it was all in my head or I may have a midlife baby . I cried all the time scard that they would not find out what was wrong with me . at the age of 30 I was sick felt like i had the flu or something went to the dr have me a blood test found out I was (preg) at the same time they told me your in a middle of a miscarriage they think i was only 2 weeks that was hard to hear something like that one (min) im told im (preg) at the same time i was told i lost the baby thats been a yr ago and it still hurts .went back to the dr and thats when she told me you have pcos . I all ways thought i had it i found it out by a free clinic about 6yrs ago . i was on metphormen about 11yrs off and on.thats the only thing that makes me (reg).I just hate going thru this will not wish on anyone .I did try clomed did not work for me really bad pain i would wake me up at night sreaming with pain but i keep taking it for 4mons . I told my husband it was time to stop taking it .I told my husband 13yrs old that if he want a child of his own to leave me know till this day he tells me I hurt him by saying that on the way home from the dr office. but i just cant get past the pcos.may god be with you girls and keep you strong pcos ant easy. god bless

Submitted by chantelle on Fri, 07/22/2011 - 8:03am
I was diagnoses with pcos from my dermatologist...I didn't know anything about it. My GYN kept having me get D&C's. I have had a total of 5. Most of my symptoms started after I gave birth to my son at the age of 21. He is 13 now and I was a single mom for most of those years. I have now met the man of my dreams and for the past 6 months we have been trying to get pregnant with no results. My doctor has suggested metformin...but hasn't yet put me on it. My periods are very irregular...sometimes I won't get one for months at a time and then other times I will bleed for a couple of months straight. I also get very dizzy and am very tired a lot of the time. I also am suffering with chronic pancreatitus. I would really love to have a baby with this absolutely wonderful man I am going to be married to...I can only pray that it happens. I am over weight as well and it seems as though no matter how much I try or what diets I try it's very difficult to lose the weight. My doctor has told me that losing the weight would help us concieve.

Submitted by sue on Mon, 09/05/2011 - 1:29pm
I am 26 and i was diagnosed with pcos when i was 19. But i havent been to a doctor since i was 20. I cry alot because i want children so bad and have never gotten pregnant yet. I have irregular periods. I had one for 6 months straight and now ive been gettin it every month but for 3 weeks at a time. After reading your stories i am going to make a appointment with a gyno. and see about getting on the metformin. The pain i have sometimes with my period is unbearable. I have to lay in bed with a heating pad on my stomach just to help, and sometimes my flow is so heavy that im running to the bathroom every 5-10 mins... Sometimes its very embarassing, and i get so depressed over this and not being able to get pregnant. But after reading these stories i have hope and am going to try.

Submitted by Shonnie on Sat, 09/10/2011 - 12:59am
Hi I'm 20 yrs old and i'm engaged. My fiancé and I have been trying to get pregnant back to back since we moved in together but with no luck. Last year I went to the emergency room for non stop bleeding and was admitted into the hospital for having a very low amount of blood in my body. They did an ultrasound and found small cysts on my ovaries and I had a blood transfusion. The doctor reassured me that I was fine so the next day after the transfusion I got to go home. He put me on a medication to stop my bleeding and then told me to take birth control in order to start my periods back up and regulate them. I did just that and my periods became like clockwork then I stopped taking them after a few months because I wanted to conceive. Just recently my periods began to get out of whack. My fiancé and I thought that It was because I was pregnant and I still believe that as well but after a few months of a no show period I got one which was more painful than ever that lasted about 10 days or less. We thought I may have miscarried. I haven't been diagnosed with pcos but most of my symptoms point to this. I don't have excessive or any facial hair though and my weight is okay and I can lose it with a healthy diet. Could my story point to pcos and where shall I go from here? I want children so badly I just pray all the time about it and hope that I will be able to conceive without ivf or something like that. - Shonnie

Submitted by arzoo on Wed, 09/21/2011 - 10:49am
hi...i have pcos history did 1 round of clomid50mg nd concieved...right nw i m on bf...my girl is now 1 year old nd still havnt got my periods back..was never irregular with my periods...i had c-section....now my question is 1: can i take metformin while on bf 2: will it also help me getting back my periods.. thnx

Submitted by marcia marshall on Sat, 03/03/2012 - 11:54am
From i was 9 years old i started to develop pcos over time it got worst.My period came for 3 months straight after that it came like every other month it continued like that for 3 years then it started to come none stop. I started taking birth control because the doctor said it was irregular. Every 3 months i have to keep changing tabs because as soon as the tab get use to my body it stop help. For 5 years i've been on birth control and it didn't help at all i change doctor's all of them say the same thing until when i was 17 years old i tried another doctor and he told me to do an ultra sound and a pelvic test that's how some1 finally new what was wrong with me. now am almost 20 and still have the same problem but the good part is i,ve been off birth controls for the past 3 years now althought i still have irregular periods. Now my biggest problem is i want to get pregnant and i can't get pregnant. I wish if someone could help me. my email address is marcy_marsh16@yahoo.com

Submitted by Maz80 on Thu, 05/10/2012 - 10:37pm
In my teens i got really bad period pains, i use to have long soaks in the bath at 2am because of the pain, I'm now 32 years old, Happily married with 4 children, of my own. In my early 20s I was told I have pcos after trying to get pregnant for a year, I was given clomid for 2 cycles and metformin, I had my son now aged 5yrs, i decided not to go on birth control, because we wanted another child and what's the chance of getting pregnant naturally, I went to the doctor to refer me for fertility treatment and he put me on metformin while I was waiting, 2 months later I got pregnant with triplets now aged 2 1/2, I'm taking no more chances, it's the implant for me, I still have to shave and suffer with acne but I haven't had a period/ period pains since the triplets were born. You can get pregnant on pcos , my problem now is what next, I remember the doc saying my cyst were large and a lot when I was in the operating room having the triplets delivered, but that's it no other advise should I be concerned with the cysts, should I have them removed.

Submitted by *Gemma29! on Sun, 11/11/2012 - 4:07pm
I'm 14 1/2 (near 15 in march), & my peiod just came after being gone for 5-6 months? WHY IS THIS HAPPENING PLZ, SOMEONE HELP ME! Is there something wrong? (Really Scared)!!! ;(

Submitted by KimAtFertilityA... on Tue, 11/13/2012 - 6:55am
Hi Gemma, What age did you start your period? It usually takes one year to regulate, so assuming you started your period a few years ago, you might want to ask your OB-GYN what's going on. You could have PCOS, but really the only way to tell is to have your OB-GYN run some blood tests and ultrasound. Good luck! Kim

Submitted by Aria on Sat, 12/22/2012 - 2:24pm
i am almost 19 now and was diagnosed about 16 months ago after being admitted to hospital after pains which i originally thought were my appendix. After finding out i had PCOS i tried going on the pill. Big mistake. When i found out i was chubby. The pill made me put on weight... So i stopped after 3 months. The way that i lost weight was going running for 30mins each day and cutting carbs and fats out of my diet. Im only 5'2" and now weigh 47kg. I can't stop looking weight which sounds like heaven to some and it would have to me a year ago, but it isn't. Every person is different so its worth trying out different things. Though because your daughter is young i dont recommend you put her on the pill. Change her diet so there's less meat and only give her UHT milk which should have no hormones. Also try and cut out as much carbs as possible and no fats. It does help. Exercising at least 3 times a week is also a very good idea. Once she starts to loose weight the symptoms should improve. But that's not to say they will disappear. I still have pain and irregular periods. Haven't had one in 3 months. Also try and support her relationship wise. I know Ive never wanted to get into a relationship because of my insecurities regarding my ability to have children. I also had facial hair and still do but threading every week isn't so bad. :-)

Submitted by Rosetta on Sun, 12/23/2012 - 11:31am
Wow after readin everyone response I'm happy that I'm not the only who suffers frm pcos... Haveing someone understand the depressin I had to go through for over 11 years, suffering wanting to take my own life... Havin those lonely nights where all you could think of how much joy you could have if you were able to have a child... It only seemed like everyone in the world was conceiving... Having such a heavy heart to walk around with....wow ok this dark pasti don't wanna revisit! Ladies you know exactly where I'm coming frm? Feeling as though you have to settle with a man who has kids thinking it will allievate the pain of wanting your spouse/boy friend not be in a rush to have kids when all you can do is wish you were the mother of his child...yes I've been through the mills sorry to jump right in wit out introducing myself but I have some much built up inside. I have diarrhea of the mouth, so sad but true. I'm 32yrs old still with out a child. Not giving up hope nor faith.. I rub my tummy an Say everyday my seed is planted. Heard this verse in church one day an been sayin it Eva sense. Hopefully god will continue to hear my prayers as he sees my tears on a daily bases! I've come to far to turn back an give up hope and faith. I know I will be back on here one day to give an update on my bundle of joy! Until then I will remain positive..

Submitted by pcosmummy on Wed, 01/09/2013 - 1:41pm
I'm am 26 married and 2 x children both boys, one 3years and one 4months. I too was diagnosed atv14years really bad weight, and dizzyness bloating bad pains and v. Irregular periods sometime I bleed fir months with no break then have months without sometimes in quite lucky. I too wad told they were quite bad and because my irregular bleeding it was highly possible I would never get pregnant especially without help.. But keep positive I stuck with pills etc and fell pregnant 3 x times sadly one misscarridhe in 06. But I even shocked.my docs as first 2 pregnancies were whilst on birth control. And last I tried for 1 year. I have been told whilst pregnant with ladt the condition has got bad and I was lucky to have fallen pregnant but I am planning to try for baby 3 v.soon. If it is unseccessfull I am just soo blessed to have two gorgeous boys x x

Submitted by rania on Mon, 02/04/2013 - 8:58am
m 21 yrz old, unmarried... i have periods problem (irregular)..nd my skin is oily and s0me what acnee is also there...... fr0m 3,4 dayz i hav pain in my lower abdomen.... d0nt understand what the hell is going wrong with me :( help me out

Submitted by liza on Tue, 04/23/2013 - 6:10am
hi,m liza,22 years old,married for 2 days.but still now i dont have any sex wid ma husband cz i think its unsafe as i m a patient of PCOD diagnosed about 4 years ago.would plz help me telling is it safe if i do sex with ma husband?

Submitted by KimAtFertilityA... on Tue, 04/23/2013 - 8:18am
Hi Liza, Are you trying to conceive? It is safe to have sex, you should just be mindful that you may or may not be ovulating, depending on the regularity of your cycles. If you are trying to conceive, you could chart your basal body temperature or use ovulation prediction kits to determine if you are ovulating. Best, Kim

Submitted by sharon on Wed, 05/15/2013 - 7:45pm
I was told at age 19 I had Pcos. Since then I have been on birth control pills. My Obgyn said it would help me later on to get pregnant. I always feel dizzy, tired, and moody. I was put on depression and metformin at the same time about 2 years ago. I had to go off metformin because my carbon dioxide levels dropped. I always hope I'll become pregnant and I'm sure once I settle down my doctor will help in this area.

Pages

Add new comment

By submitting this form, you accept the Mollom privacy policy.
Sign up for Daily Shot Subscribers
Your daily does of sanity: The Daily Shot.
Schedule Your Consultation Today
855-955-2229
This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation. Click to verify.
  • This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
  • All content is exclusive to FertilityAuthority.com and written by seasoned health care journalists and vetted by board certified Reproductive Endocrinologists.
  • Content on this site may not be duplicated without prior written permission, except where noted.
  • Please read our Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimer
  • Copyright ©2013 Fertility Authority, All rights reserved.