The cause of PCOS is not yet known but it often runs in families.

If any of your relatives (mother, aunts, sisters) are affected with PCOS, your risk of developing PCOS may be increased.

The symptoms are related to abnormal hormone levels:

• Testosterone is a hormone that is produced in small amounts by the ovaries in all women. Women with PCOS have slightly higher than normal levels of testosterone and this is associated with many of the symptoms of the condition.

• Insulin is a hormone that controls the level of glucose (a type of sugar) in the blood. If you have PCOS, your body may not respond to insulin (this is known as insulin resistance), so the level of glucose is higher. To try to prevent the glucose levels becoming higher, your body produces even more insulin. High levels of insulin can lead to weight gain, irregular periods, fertility problems and higher levels of testosterone.

Having polycystic ovaries does not mean you have PCOS.

Women with PCOS often have symptoms that come and go, particularly if their weight goes up and down. This can make it a difficult condition to diagnose, which means it may take a while to get a diagnosis.

A diagnosis is made when you have any two of the following:

• irregular, infrequent periods or no periods at all
• an increase in facial or body hair and/or blood tests that show higher testosterone levels than normal
• an ultrasound scan that shows polycystic ovaries.

If you have PCOS, you are at greater risk of developing the long-term health problems discussed below.

 1 .Insulin Resistance And Diabetes

If your blood glucose does not stay normal, this can lead to diabetes. One or two in every ten women with PCOS go on to develop diabetes at some point. If the diabetes is untreated, this can cause damage to organs in the body.

If you have PCOS, your risk of developing diabetes is increased further if you:

• are over 40 years of age
• have relatives with diabetes
• developed diabetes during a pregnancy (known as gestational diabetes)
• are obese (a body mass index (BMI) of over 30).

2. High Blood Pressure

Women with PCOS tend to have high blood pressure, which is likely to be related to insulin resistance and to being overweight rather than to the PCOS itself.

High blood pressure can lead to heart problems and should be treated.

3. Cancer

If you have fewer than three periods a year, the lining of the uterus (endometrium) can thicken and this may lead to endometrial cancer in a small number of women. There are various ways to protect the lining of the womb using the hormone. The options will depend on whether you are trying for a baby. PCOS does not increase your chance of breast or ovarian cancer.

4. Depression And Mood Swings

The symptoms of PCOS may affect how you see yourself and how you think others see you. It can lower your  self-esteem.

5. Snoring

PCOS can lead to fatigue or sleepiness during the day and also snoring.

What Can You Do To Reduce Risk

1.Healthy Lifestyle

The main ways to reduce your overall risk of long-term health problems are to:

• eat a healthy balanced diet. This should include fruit and vegetables and whole foods (such as wholemeal bread, whole-grain cereals, brown rice and whole-wheat pasta), lean meat, fish and chicken. You should cut down the amount of sugar, salt and caffeine that you eat and drink. You should not drink more alcohol.
• eat meals regularly, especially breakfast
• take exercise regularly (30 minutes at least three times a week).

If you are overweight, it would be helpful to lose weight and maintain your weight at this new level. If your BMI is more than 30, discuss ways of losing weight. The benefits of losing weight include:

• a lower risk of insulin resistance and developing diabetes
• a lower risk of heart problems
• a lower risk of cancer of the womb
• more regular periods
• an increased chance of becoming pregnant
• a reduction in acne and a decrease in excess hair growth over time
• improved mood and self-esteem.

You only have to lose a small amount of weight to make a difference to your symptoms and your health.