How do you get diagnosed with PMOS?
|
PMOS affects women in different ways, so not everyone will have all the related PMOS symptoms. Some may have only mild symptoms, while others may have a wider range of more severe symptoms. This is part of what makes PMOS so difficult to diagnose and manage, as no two individuals are the same.
Symptoms typically start in adolescence, although some people do not develop them until their early to mid twenties. How is it diagnosed? Generally, a diagnosis requires 2 out of these 3 features, after other possible causes have been excluded: Irregular or absent ovulation This is usually identified through irregular or absent menstrual cycles. In adults this is more than 36 days, or fewer than 8 cycles per year are considered irregular. Evidence of androgen excess This can be clinical, such as excess facial/body hair (hirsutism), or biochemical, shown through blood tests such as raised total or free testosterone. Acne and scalp hair thinning can also be features, although on their own they are less reliable indicators of androgen excess. Polycystic ovaries Polycystic ovarian morphology on a ultrasound scan. Polycystic ovaries do not have to be present to make the diagnosis, and the finding of polycystic ovaries does not alone establish the diagnosis. Importantly, if someone already has irregular/absent cycles AND clinical or biochemical androgen excess, they don't need an ultrasound or AMH test to establish the diagnosis. |
