Prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome in women in China: a large community-based study

June 2013 in “Human Reproduction”

Rong Li, Qiufang Zhang, Dongzi Yang, Shangwei Li, Shulan Lu, Xiaoke Wu, Zhaolian Wei, Xiaomin Song, Xiuxia Wang, Shuxin Fu, Jia Wei Lin, Yu Zhu, Yong Jiang, Huai L. Feng, Jie Qiao

TLDR PCOS is common among Chinese women of reproductive age and linked to serious metabolic and reproductive issues, especially in obese women.

The document summarizes a study that assessed the prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in a large sample of 15,924 Han Chinese women aged 19-45 years from 10 provinces in China, with a high response rate of 94.3%. The prevalence of PCOS was found to be 5.6% in this population. The study identified four phenotypes of PCOS and noted that women with PCOS were younger and had higher rates of menstrual problems, hyperandrogenism, infertility, metabolic syndrome (MS), and insulin resistance (IR) compared to those without the condition. Obese women with PCOS were particularly more prone to MS, IR, hypertension, and hyperlipemia. The study concluded that PCOS is a common endocrine disorder among Chinese women of reproductive age and is associated with significant metabolic and reproductive complications, emphasizing the need for prevention and treatment strategies, especially for obese women.

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