Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome - Glossary
Acne: Localized skin inflammation as a result of over activity of the oil glands at the base of hair follicles.Amenorrhea - absence of menstrual period
Androgen: A male sex hormone that promotes the development and maintenance of the male sex characteristics.
Cyst: cyst is a closed hollow sac that usually contain air, fluids, or semi-solid material
Endometrial cancer: Cancer of the womb (the uterus).
Follicles: Follicles of the Ovary are the basic unit of female reproductive biology. They are usually round and contain a single egg or ovum. When they get large one can se them by naked eyes and then they are often called Graffian Follicles (Regnier de Graaf first described them).
Follicle-stimulating Hormone (FSH): A hormone produced by the pituitary gland that controls estrogen production by the ovaries
Hirsutism : unwanted hair growth in women
Hormone: A chemical substance produced in the body that controls and regulates the activity of certain cells or organs
Insulin: A natural hormone made by the pancreas that controls the level of the sugar glucose in the blood.
Insulin resistance: The diminished ability of cells to respond to the action of insulin in transporting glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream into muscle and other tissues.
Luteinizing hormone (LH): A hormone produced by the pituitary gland that controls the length and sequence of the female menstrual cycle, including ovulation, preparation the uterus for implantation of a fertilized egg, and ovarian production of both estrogen and progesterone.
Obesity: The state of being well above one's normal weight.
Ovarian Cyst : ovarian follicles that are larger than about two centimeters are called an ovarian cyst.
Ovulation: The release of the ripe egg from the ovary.
Oligomenorrhoea : infrequent periods
Infertility : Inability to become pregnant