Ladies by now I’m pretty sure we are feeling like having a uterus is a wee bit of a curse since all the posts up to now have been about uterus-related problems. Well, there’s still more to come, brace yourselves! PCOS is the most common endocrine (hormone) disorder in women of reproductive age. It is a heterogeneous disorder (a condition with several etiologies) primarily characterized by: Hyperandrogenism (a medical condition characterized by high levels of androgens in females)Oligoovulation / anovulation (when the ovaries do not release an oocyte)Presence of polycystic ovariesInsulin resistanceNeuroendocrine disruption The syndrome gets its name from the cysts which may form on the ovaries, it is important to remember that presence of these cysts is a symptom and not the underlying cause of the disorder. The exact cause of PCOS remains uncertain but there is a strong association with obesity. This is because obesity causes an increase in the production of estrogen from the adipose (fat) tissue and a decrease in the peripheral sensitivity to insulin. The reduced insulin sensitivity and the consequent hyperinsulinemia ( a condition of elevated blood insulin level) result in: Acanthosis nigricans (a skin disorder characterised by patches of velvety hyperpigmentation in the axilla (armpit), groin, and/or neck).Increased androgen (steroid sex hormone.e.g./ testosterone, androstanolone) production in ovarian theca interna cells (an endocrine cell…