Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Pathophysiology, Phenotype Expression and Clinical Implications

Annemarie Geerdina Maria Geertruida Johanna Mulders was born on the 29th of April 1972 in Waalwijk, The Netherlands. She passed secondary school at the Dr. Mollercollege in Waalwijk. She attended Medical School at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam from 1992 - 1999 from which she graduated cum laude. From December 1999 - August 2000 she worked as a resident at the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Sint Lucas Andreas Hospital (head: Dr. J.Th.M. van der Schoot) in Amsterdam. From August 2000 -December 2003 she worked as a PhD student at the division of Reproductive Medicine (head: Prof. Dr. B.C.J.M. Fauser) of the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam performing the studies described in this thesis. In January 2004 she started her training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Amphia Hospital in Breda

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in reproductive age women and a major cause of subfertility. Women with PCOS might present with a number of various features and hence PCOS does not seem to be a clear-cut clinical phenomenon. In order to elucidate the background and pathophysiology of all symptoms displayed in PCOS it might be helpful to focus on these specific characteristics and features. In this chapter pathophysiology of ovarian dysfunction is highlighted. Additionally, several characteristic PCOS features used for classification and involved in phenotypical heterogeneity, will be briefly described. Furthermore, the complexity of research regarding the genetic component involved in the disease is discussed. Finally, the clinical implications of differences in phenotype expression are mentioned. In addition, the objectives of the present thesis are described in brief.