Infrequent menses (less than 6 per year or more than 35 days between cycles).

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a condition that affects women in their child-bearing years and alters the levels of multiple hormones, resulting in problems affecting many body systems.\n\nMost women with polycystic ovary syndrome produce excess male sex hormones (androgens), a condition called hyperandrogenism. Having too much of these hormones typically leads to excessive body hair growth (hirsutism), acne, and male pattern baldness.\n\nHyperandrogenism and abnormal levels of other sex hormones prevent normal release of egg cells from the ovaries (ovulation) and regular menstrual periods, leading to difficulty conceiving a child (subfertility) or a complete inability to conceive (infertility). For those who achieve pregnancy, there is an increased risk of complications and pregnancy loss. Due to irregular and infrequent menstruation and hormone abnormalities, affected women have an increased risk of cancer of the uterine lining (endometrial cancer).\n\nIn polycystic ovary syndrome, one or both ovaries can contain multiple small, immature ovarian follicles that can appear as cysts on medical imaging. Normally, ovarian follicles contain egg cells, which are released during ovulation. In polycystic ovary syndrome, abnormal hormone levels prevent follicles from growing and maturing to release egg cells. Instead, these immature follicles accumulate in the ovaries. Affected women can have 12 or more of these follicles. The number of these follicles usually decreases with age.\n\nAbout half of all women with polycystic ovary syndrome are overweight or have obesity and are at increased risk of a fatty liver. Additionally, many women with polycystic ovary syndrome have elevated levels of insulin, which is a hormone that helps control levels of blood glucose, also called blood sugar. By age 40, about 10 percent of overweight women with polycystic ovary syndrome develop abnormally high blood glucose levels (type 2 diabetes), and up to 35 percent develop prediabetes (higher-than-normal blood glucose levels that do not reach the cutoff for diabetes). Obesity and increased insulin levels (hyperinsulinemia) further increase the production of androgens in polycystic ovary syndrome.\n\nWomen with polycystic ovary syndrome are also at increased risk for developing metabolic syndrome, which is a group of conditions that include high blood pressure (hypertension), increased belly fat, high levels of unhealthy fats and low levels of healthy fats in the blood, and high blood glucose levels. About 20 percent of affected adults experience pauses in breathing during sleep (sleep apnea). Women with polycystic ovary syndrome are more likely than women in the general popluation to have mood disorders such as depression.

Abnormally late or absent menarche in a female with normal secondary sexual characteristics.

The presence of chronic increased pressure in the systemic arterial system.

A chronic disorder of the liver in which liver tissue becomes scarred and is partially replaced by regenerative nodules and fibrotic tissue resulting in loss of liver function.

Steatosis is a term used to denote lipid accumulation within hepatocytes.

Degenerative changes of the fat tissue.

Loss (disappearance) of previously present subcutaneous fat tissue in arm or leg.

A reduced amount of fat tissue in the lowest layer of the integument. This feature can be appreciated by a reduced skinfold thickness.

Loss (reduction of previously present) of subcutaneous adipose tissue in the gluteal region.

WFS1 spectrum disorder (WFS1-SD) comprises classic WFS1 spectrum disorder and nonclassic WFS1 spectrum disorder. Classic WFS1-SD, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, is characterized by onset of diabetes mellitus and optic atrophy before age 16 years. Additional complications may include one or more of the following: variable hearing impairment / deafness, diabetes insipidus, neurologic abnormalities, neurogenic bladder, and psychiatric abnormalities. Nonclassic WFS1-SD is less common than classic WFS1-SD. Phenotypes that appear to be milder than classic WFS1-SD include: optic atrophy and hearing impairment; neonatal diabetes, profound congenital deafness, and cataracts; isolated diabetes mellitus; isolated congenital cataracts; and isolated congenital, slowly progressive, and low-frequency (<2000 Hz) sensorineural hearing loss.

An increased concentration of glucose in the blood.

Increased resistance towards insulin, that is, diminished effectiveness of insulin in reducing blood glucose levels.

An decreased concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the blood.

An abnormally high level of uric acid in the blood.

An abnormal increase in the level of triglycerides in the blood.

A type of diabetes mellitus related not to lack of insulin but rather to lack of response to insulin on the part of the target tissues of insulin such as muscle, fat, and liver cells. This type of diabetes is typically associated with increases both in blood glucose concentrations as well as in fasting and postprandial serum insulin levels.

A dermatosis characterized by thickened, hyperpigmented plaques, typically on the intertriginous surfaces and neck.

Abnormally increased hair growth referring to a male pattern of body hair (androgenic hair).

A condition in which superficial veins (i.e., veins just under the skin) are more conspicuous or noticeable than normal.

An increased concentration of insulin in the blood.