Volume : 3, Issue : 1, January - 2014

Prevalence and Undetected Burden of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Among Female Medical Undergraduate Students in South India – A Prospective Study in Pondicherry

Dr Vijaya. K, Dr Bharatwaj R. S.

Abstract :

Title: Prevalence And Undetected Burden Of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Among Female Medical Undergraduate Students In South India - A Prospective Study In Pondicherry Subtitle: PCOS among Medical Undergraduate Students AIM: To estimate the prevalence of PCOS among medical undergraduate young women in a teaching hospital in Pondicherry and to estimate the load of undiagnosed PCOS in the same group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective, study was done among female medical undergraduate students of Sri Lakshmynarayana Institute of Medical Sciences Pondicherry (SLIMS). The participants were given a questionnaire covering information, including demography, detailed menstrual history, hirsutism, galactorrhoea and other medical illnesses followed by interview, physical examination and ultrasound (USG) when indicated. Diagnosis of PCOS was confirmed using Rotterdam’s criteria. RESULTS- The PCOS prevalence was 11.76%. Oligomenorrhoea alone or in combination with hirsutism were the most common presentations in those with PCOS. Among the PCOS cases 16 (52.14%) were newly identified. CONCLUSIONS :PCOS prevalence among medical students in our study was high, with more than half the disease load hidden.