Introduction:

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common form of chronic anovulation related to androgen excess. The prevalence ranges according to the diagnostic criteria used between 4-21%.

Objective:

To describe the clinical characteristics of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Methods:

The consensuses and original articles of the last 10 years were selected, which were available in the following search engines: Pubmed, Medscape, Scielo, and Bireme. Other publications that due to their clinical importance have not been replicated were considered.

Conclusions:

The variety of phenotypes present in the polycystic ovary syndrome makes the clinical manifestations and risk factors for other morbidities heterogeneous. The influence exerted also by its etiopathogenesis, not completely elucidated, causes the diagnosis and therefore the current management of these patients to have a multidisciplinary approach which is individualized and focused on the priorities and nonconformities that may affect the patients’ quality of life.

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