Polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS) usually begins during the teenage or young adult years. It causes symptoms such as hair growth on the face or chest, acne, andirregular periods. Each person who has PCOS can have a different combination and timing of these symptoms.PCOS typically runs in families, and researchers have recently identified some of the genes involved in the syndrome.

This article reviews how to diagnose and manage PCOS in teenagers.

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Doctor talking to patient in examination room

Diagnosis

Symptoms of PCOS usually appear during the teenage or young adult years.

The Rotterdam diagnostic criteria include having at least two of the following:

Sometimes, it takes time for teenagers to get a diagnosis of PCOS because many of the symptoms are similar to normal changes of adolescence. For example, many teens have irregular periods,acne, or rapid body or facial hair growth, even if they don’t have PCOS.

Diagnostic Testing

If your healthcare provider suspects that you have PCOS, you might have some diagnostic tests.

Blood tests are used to check the levels of certain hormones, including FSH, LH, DHEA-S, and testosterone.

Your healthcare provider may do an ultrasound of your ovaries to check forcysts, which are common in PCOS. To get the best view, atransvaginal ultrasoundmay be used. This is where the ultrasound probe is placed into the vagina instead of on top of the abdomen.

If you are a virgin or uncomfortable with the procedure, your healthcare provider may consider using abdominal ultrasound, but the ovaries are not as clearly visible with this test. Ovarian cysts can occur with PCOS, although they aren’t necessary for a diagnosis.

What to Expect With PCOS

If you are diagnosed with PCOS, you should know thatit’s not deadlyor terribly serious. Your healthcare provider may recommend certain lifestyle changes and regular follow-up visits to help you manage the effects of your condition.

Managing weight can help reduce some of the hormonal imbalances for some people who have PCOS. People with PCOS often have a harder time losing weight.It might be helpful to see a dietitian, who may suggest strategies to help you reach your optimal weight—such as getting regular exercise and making sure that your meals include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.

It’s also important that you talk to your healthcare provider if you aren’t getting a regular period. Your practitioner might prescribe thebirth control pillor other hormonal supplements to ensure that you get a regular period.

6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Richardson MR.Current perspectives in polycystic ovary syndrome.Am Fam Physician; 68(4):697-704.Panda PK, Rane R, Ravichandran R, Singh S, Panchal H.Genetics of PCOS: A systematic bioinformatics approach to unveil the proteins responsible for PCOS.Genom Data. 2016;8:52-60. doi:10.1016/j.gdata.2016.03.008Teede HJ, Misso ML, Costello MF, et al.Recommendations from the international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome.Hum Reprod. 2018;33(9):1602-1618. doi:10.1093/humrep/dey256Dumitrescu R, Mehedintu C, Briceag I, Purcarea VL, Hudita D.The polycystic ovary syndrome: an update on metabolic and hormonal mechanisms.J Med Life; 8(2):142-5.Penn Medicine.5 myths about polycystic ovary syndrome.De melo AS, Dos reis RM, Ferriani RA, Vieira CS.Hormonal contraception in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: choices, challenges, and noncontraceptive benefits.Open Access J Contracept. 2017;8:13-23. doi:10.2147/OAJC.S85543

6 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Richardson MR.Current perspectives in polycystic ovary syndrome.Am Fam Physician; 68(4):697-704.Panda PK, Rane R, Ravichandran R, Singh S, Panchal H.Genetics of PCOS: A systematic bioinformatics approach to unveil the proteins responsible for PCOS.Genom Data. 2016;8:52-60. doi:10.1016/j.gdata.2016.03.008Teede HJ, Misso ML, Costello MF, et al.Recommendations from the international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome.Hum Reprod. 2018;33(9):1602-1618. doi:10.1093/humrep/dey256Dumitrescu R, Mehedintu C, Briceag I, Purcarea VL, Hudita D.The polycystic ovary syndrome: an update on metabolic and hormonal mechanisms.J Med Life; 8(2):142-5.Penn Medicine.5 myths about polycystic ovary syndrome.De melo AS, Dos reis RM, Ferriani RA, Vieira CS.Hormonal contraception in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: choices, challenges, and noncontraceptive benefits.Open Access J Contracept. 2017;8:13-23. doi:10.2147/OAJC.S85543

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Richardson MR.Current perspectives in polycystic ovary syndrome.Am Fam Physician; 68(4):697-704.Panda PK, Rane R, Ravichandran R, Singh S, Panchal H.Genetics of PCOS: A systematic bioinformatics approach to unveil the proteins responsible for PCOS.Genom Data. 2016;8:52-60. doi:10.1016/j.gdata.2016.03.008Teede HJ, Misso ML, Costello MF, et al.Recommendations from the international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome.Hum Reprod. 2018;33(9):1602-1618. doi:10.1093/humrep/dey256Dumitrescu R, Mehedintu C, Briceag I, Purcarea VL, Hudita D.The polycystic ovary syndrome: an update on metabolic and hormonal mechanisms.J Med Life; 8(2):142-5.Penn Medicine.5 myths about polycystic ovary syndrome.De melo AS, Dos reis RM, Ferriani RA, Vieira CS.Hormonal contraception in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: choices, challenges, and noncontraceptive benefits.Open Access J Contracept. 2017;8:13-23. doi:10.2147/OAJC.S85543

Richardson MR.Current perspectives in polycystic ovary syndrome.Am Fam Physician; 68(4):697-704.

Panda PK, Rane R, Ravichandran R, Singh S, Panchal H.Genetics of PCOS: A systematic bioinformatics approach to unveil the proteins responsible for PCOS.Genom Data. 2016;8:52-60. doi:10.1016/j.gdata.2016.03.008

Teede HJ, Misso ML, Costello MF, et al.Recommendations from the international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome.Hum Reprod. 2018;33(9):1602-1618. doi:10.1093/humrep/dey256

Dumitrescu R, Mehedintu C, Briceag I, Purcarea VL, Hudita D.The polycystic ovary syndrome: an update on metabolic and hormonal mechanisms.J Med Life; 8(2):142-5.

Penn Medicine.5 myths about polycystic ovary syndrome.

De melo AS, Dos reis RM, Ferriani RA, Vieira CS.Hormonal contraception in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: choices, challenges, and noncontraceptive benefits.Open Access J Contracept. 2017;8:13-23. doi:10.2147/OAJC.S85543

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