Treatment Options for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

In 2011, it was recognized that polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent endocrine disorder in women, with a wide range of clinical manifestations from mild menstrual irregularities to significant reproductive and metabolic disturbances. Treatment strategies for PCOS were tailored to individual symptoms, such as infertility due to ovulatory dysfunction, menstrual disorders, or androgen-related symptoms like hirsutism, acne, and alopecia. Weight loss was emphasized as a beneficial intervention, with as little as a 5% reduction in initial weight potentially normalizing menstrual cycles and ovulation. Lifestyle changes, medical treatments, and surgical options like laparoscopic ovarian drilling were considered for managing obesity and anovulation. Pharmacological treatments included clomiphene citrate, tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors, metformin, glucocorticoids, and gonadotropins, with in vitro fertilization as a last resort for achieving pregnancy. The review also noted the risk of endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma associated with chronic anovulation and the emergence of alternative medicine as a treatment for various PCOS symptoms.