title: The diagnosis of polycystic ovaries in subfertile women.
abstract: Laparoscopy was used to identify the polycystic ovary (PCO) in a group of subfertile women. A third were found to have PCO. These patients had higher levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone (T) and a higher free androgen index (FAI) than those with normal ovaries. Only 15% of patients with laparoscopic evidence of PCO were obese, hirsute and oligomenorrhoeic. Within the PCO group, hirsutism was strongly associated with obesity and a high FAI. A group of subfertile women with PCO and regular cycles was found who had no other identifiable cause for their infertility. These women had higher follicular phase concentrations of LH and higher FAI than ovulatory women with normal ovaries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology, Charing Cross Hospital, London.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Eden
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Place
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alaghband-Zadeh
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Pawson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology*; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone