What causes Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)?
The cause of PCOS is not known. It is currently believed that there is a complex interplay between genetic and hormonal factors. This has resulted in five different variants of the syndrome:
- Traditional PCOS - Oligomenorrhoea/ amennorhoea, increased androgens, no insulin resistance
- Non-traditional PCOS -, normal androgens, obese, insulin resistant or type 2 diabetes
- Non-traditional PCOS -- Ovulatory, increased androgens, mild insulin resistance
- Endocrine syndrome X - Oligomenorrhoea/ amennorhoea, increased androgens, insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes
- Idiopathic hirsutism -- ovulatory, increased androgens, no insulin resistance