The polycystic ovary syndrome. 1. Pathogenesis.

Hirsutism, oligomenorrhoea/amenorrhoea, and infertility are common clinical problems for gynaecologists and endocrinologists. When hirsutism presents with one or other of these problems, the most likely cause is the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In the first of two articles, the pathogenesis of PCOS is discussed.