Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a frequent hormonal disorder affecting women of reproductive age. In women affected by PCOS, ovaries produce an abnormal amount of androgens, causing the accumulation of small antral follicles (wrongly designed as cysts) in the ovaries. In many but not all women with PCOS, these small follicles cannot mature to a dominant follicle (“follicular arrest”), leading to oligo-anovulation.
Women affected by PCOS, have increased chances of suffering from infertility, insulin resistance and type-2-diabetes. Moreover, women with PCOS are at higher risk of developing complications during pregnancy. To date, and when necessary, lifestyle changes are the first-line approach to manage this disorder. In case these aren’t effective or in women with no metabolic disorder, the next steps usually are pharmacological approaches aiming to induce ovulation. According to clinical situation, assisted reproductive technologies or laparoscopic ovarian drilling may be used as first or third line infertility treatments. Recently, new alternatives and adjunctive treatments have been suggested, including inositols, bariatric surgery, acupuncture, and Chinese medicine, but further research is still needed for confirming the efficiency of such treatments.
In this collection, the Topic Editors particularly welcome Original Research, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Perspectives and Commentaries focusing on, but not limited to, the following themes:
- New therapeutic approaches for PCOS-related infertility
- Strategies to optimize fertility in PCOS
- PCOS and IVF: which approach/strategy is the best?
- Pregnancy management in women affected by PCOS
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a frequent hormonal disorder affecting women of reproductive age. In women affected by PCOS, ovaries produce an abnormal amount of androgens, causing the accumulation of small antral follicles (wrongly designed as cysts) in the ovaries. In many but not all women with PCOS, these small follicles cannot mature to a dominant follicle (“follicular arrest”), leading to oligo-anovulation.
Women affected by PCOS, have increased chances of suffering from infertility, insulin resistance and type-2-diabetes. Moreover, women with PCOS are at higher risk of developing complications during pregnancy. To date, and when necessary, lifestyle changes are the first-line approach to manage this disorder. In case these aren’t effective or in women with no metabolic disorder, the next steps usually are pharmacological approaches aiming to induce ovulation. According to clinical situation, assisted reproductive technologies or laparoscopic ovarian drilling may be used as first or third line infertility treatments. Recently, new alternatives and adjunctive treatments have been suggested, including inositols, bariatric surgery, acupuncture, and Chinese medicine, but further research is still needed for confirming the efficiency of such treatments.
In this collection, the Topic Editors particularly welcome Original Research, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Perspectives and Commentaries focusing on, but not limited to, the following themes:
- New therapeutic approaches for PCOS-related infertility
- Strategies to optimize fertility in PCOS
- PCOS and IVF: which approach/strategy is the best?
- Pregnancy management in women affected by PCOS
