Polycystic ovary syndrome across racial and ethnic groups

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has significant public health importance in view of the potential long-term health consequences. Understanding the ethnic differences in phenotype and metabolic consequences is important in targeting the relevant population for prevention and treatment of metabolic disorders. In this chapter, we review differences in prevalence, symptomatology, and metabolic disorders in women with PCOS across racial and ethnic groups and whether the differences may just reflect similar differences that exist in the general population.