Prevalence of the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Unselected Women from Benghazi- Libya

Abstract

I estimated the prevalence of the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), as defined by the NIH/NICHHD 1990 endocrine criteria, in a population of 582 Libyan women of reproductive age reporting spontaneously in a genecology and obstetric outpatient clinic. PCOS was defined by the presence of 1) oligomenorrhea, 2) clinical and/or biochemical hyperandrogenism, and 3) exclusion of hyperprolactinemia, thyroid disorders,. Hirsutism and acne was considered as a sign of hyperandrogenism when persistent after the second decade of life, and hyperandrogenemia was defined by an increase in circulating testosterone. PCOS was present in (7.044%), hirsutism was present in (56%), and acne was present in (33%) of the582 women. The results demonstrate a 7.044% prevalence of PCOS, as defined, in a minimally biased population of Libyan women from Benghazi. The polycystic ovary syndrome, hirsutism, and acne are common endocrine disorders in women.