Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Review of Susceptibility to Type 2 Diabetes

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age, characterized by hormonal imbalances such as overproduction of androgen, insulin, and progesterone. These imbalances lead to symptoms like menstrual irregularities, hair loss, acne, and obesity. Insulin resistance, a condition where the body's cells don't respond properly to insulin, is a significant contributor to PCOS and is present in 75% of lean and 95% of obese women with the condition. This resistance increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. Treatments for PCOS include lifestyle changes, medications to increase insulin sensitivity, and emerging treatments like GLP-1 agonists, DPP-4 inhibitors, SGLT2 inhibitors, myoinositol, thyroid hormones, and vitamin supplements. However, not all women with polycystic ovaries have PCOS, and diagnosis should be based on clinical evidence.