Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- 1 Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome is an intergenerational problem
- 2 Introduction and history of polycystic ovary syndrome
- 3 Phenotype and genotype in polycystic ovary syndrome
- 4 The pathology of the polycystic ovary syndrome
- 5 Imaging polycystic ovaries
- 6 Insulin sensitizers in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome
- 7 Long-term health consequences of polycystic ovary syndrome
- 8 Skin manifestations of polycystic ovary syndrome
- 9 Lifestyle factors in the etiology and management of polycystic ovary syndrome
- 10 Ovulation induction for women with polycystic ovary syndrome
- 11 Laparoscopic surgical treatment of infertility related to PCOS revisited
- 12 In vitro fertilization and the patient with polycystic ovaries or polycystic ovary syndrome
- 13 Role of hyperinsulinemic insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome
- 14 Novel treatments for polycystic ovary syndrome, including in vitro maturation
- 15 The pediatric origins of polycystic ovary syndrome
- 16 Fetal programming of polycystic ovary syndrome
- 17 Adrenocortical dysfunction in polycystic ovary syndrome
- 18 Polycystic ovary syndrome in Asian women
- 19 Obesity surgery and the polycystic ovary syndrome
- 20 Nutritional aspects of polycystic ovary syndrome
- Index
- References
2 - Introduction and history of polycystic ovary syndrome
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 September 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- 1 Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome is an intergenerational problem
- 2 Introduction and history of polycystic ovary syndrome
- 3 Phenotype and genotype in polycystic ovary syndrome
- 4 The pathology of the polycystic ovary syndrome
- 5 Imaging polycystic ovaries
- 6 Insulin sensitizers in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome
- 7 Long-term health consequences of polycystic ovary syndrome
- 8 Skin manifestations of polycystic ovary syndrome
- 9 Lifestyle factors in the etiology and management of polycystic ovary syndrome
- 10 Ovulation induction for women with polycystic ovary syndrome
- 11 Laparoscopic surgical treatment of infertility related to PCOS revisited
- 12 In vitro fertilization and the patient with polycystic ovaries or polycystic ovary syndrome
- 13 Role of hyperinsulinemic insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome
- 14 Novel treatments for polycystic ovary syndrome, including in vitro maturation
- 15 The pediatric origins of polycystic ovary syndrome
- 16 Fetal programming of polycystic ovary syndrome
- 17 Adrenocortical dysfunction in polycystic ovary syndrome
- 18 Polycystic ovary syndrome in Asian women
- 19 Obesity surgery and the polycystic ovary syndrome
- 20 Nutritional aspects of polycystic ovary syndrome
- Index
- References
Summary
Since the classical observation of Stein and Leventhal in 1935 (Stein and Leventhal 1935), interest in polycystic ovaries (PCO) and its associated syndrome (PCOS) has evolved from a “gynaecological curiosity to a multisystem endocrinopathy” (Homburg 1996). It is probably the most common endocrine disorder in women, accounting for the majority of cases of hirsutism, of menstrual disturbance, and anovulatory infertility. It is also one of the most poorly defined endocrinological conditions with a complex pathophysiology that has produced considerable scientific debate. Evidence of the ongoing interest in this disorder is not difficult to find; an electronic search on medline from 1966 to 2005 using the search term “polycystic ovary syndrome” produces 5112 citations; 934 are review articles, and 200 are randomized controlled trials (Fig. 2.1), and the majority of publications occur after 1985.
Recognition
Although Stein and Leventhal were first in the modern medicine era to describe this condition, an earlier description dating back to 1721 reads: “Young married peasant women, moderately obese and infertile, with two larger than normal ovaries, bumpy, shiny and whitish, just like pigeon eggs.” (Vallisneri 1721; translated from Italian.) There was further recognition in the nineteenth century when sclerocystic changes in the ovary were described (Chereau 1844), but it was not until Stein and Leventhal first presented their paper at the Central Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in 1935 that the syndrome was more comprehensively described.
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- Information
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome , pp. 4 - 24Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2007
References
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