多囊性卵巢症(polycystic ovary syndrome)常表現多毛症(hirsutism)、痤瘡、不排卵(anovulation)、月經不現則或無月經(amenorrhea)、不孕或反覆流產。內分泌檢查可發現雄性素(androgens)與黃體促素(luteining hormone)濃度增加。此外，同時也常合併其他代謝問題，例如胰島素阻抗、肥胖、第2型糖尿病、高血壓、血脂異常和心血管疾病等。其致病機轉可能經由神經內分泌與新陳代謝異常交互影響所引起，其中因高胰島素血症(hyperinsulinemia)而導致雄性素過多(hyperandrogenemia)，可能是此症最重要的病態生理。診斷多囊性卵巢症必須先排除其他造成雄性素過多與排卵異常的疾病，如泌乳激素過高(hyperprolactinemia)、非典型之先天性腎上腺增生(nonclassic congenital adrenal hyperplasia)、庫欣氏症候群、分泌雄性素的卵巢瘤或腎上腺瘤以及肢端肥大症(acromegaly)。治療主要是針對異常的臨床表徵及其合併症。改變生活形態與減重是改善胰島素阻抗最重要的方法；荷爾蒙補充治療可避免子宮內膜增生，改善多毛症、痙瘡與月經異常；誘導排卵藥物可以改善無排卵不孕與月經異常；而胰島素增敏劑(insulin sensitizer)除了改善無排卵不孕與月經異常外，也可以降低胰島素與雄性素的濃度。

The clinical features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) include
hirsutism, acne, amenorrhea, anovulatory infertility and recurrent miscarriages. The endocrine features include elevated androgens and luteinizing hormone levels. The metabolic aspects of this syndrome include hyperinsulinemia, obesity, lipid abnormalities and an increased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus. In PCOS, hyperinsulinemic insulin resistance plays a pathogenic role, that augments androgen production. Diagnostic criteria for PCOS are hyperandrogenism and ovulatory dysfunction with the exclusion of specific disorders, such as hyperprolactinemia, nonclassic congenital adrenal hyperplasia, Cushing's syndrome, androgen-secreting neoplasm and acromegaly. Therapeutic considerations focus on the management of menstrual irregularities and hyperandrogenemia. Insulin sensitizer treatment has been associated with a reduction in serum androgen and insulin concentration, and with an improvement of ovulation and fertility. Lifestyle modification with weight reduction has proven beneficial and pharmacological therapy with insulin-sensitizing agents has potential benefit in the treatment of the comorbidities in women with PCOS.