Abstract

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) occurs in 4-8% of women worldwide. The prevalence of PCOS in Indian adolescents is 12.2% according to ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) report. National Institute of Health documented that it affects approximately 5 million women of reproductive age in the United States . Hormonal imbalance is the characteristic of many women with polycystic ovarian syndrome. The impact of various endocrine changes in PCOS women and their relevance to bone remains to be documented. The hormones including Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone (GnRH), insulin, Leutinizing/Follicle stimulating Hormone (LH/FSH) ratio, androgens, estrogens, growth hormones (GH), cortisol, Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitonin are disturbed in PCOS women. These hormones influence directly as well as indirectly bone metabolism in human subjects. The imbalance in these hormones results in increased prevalence of osteoporosis in PCOS women. Limited evidence suggest that the drugs taken during the treatment of PCOS increase the risk of bone fracture in PCOS patients through endocrine disruption. The review is aimed at the identification of the relationship between bone mineral density and hormonal changes in PCOS subjects and identifies potential areas to study bone related disorders in PCOS women.