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Chapter 1 - Introduction to and History of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 May 2022

By
Gabor T. Kovacs
Edited by
Gabor T. Kovacs ,
Bart Fauser  and
Richard S. Legro
Gabor T. Kovacs
Affiliation:
Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Bart Fauser
Affiliation:
University Medical Center, Utrecht, Netherlands
Richard S. Legro
Affiliation:
Penn State Medical Center, Hershey, PA, USA
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Summary

Although the modern history of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) started with the pivotal paper by Stein and Leventhal in 1935,[1] there are suggestions that the “syndrome” was referred to as early as in the time of Hippocrates (ca. 460–377 BC). Medical notes at the time referred to women “whose menstruation is less than three days or is meager, are robust, with a healthy complexion and a masculine appearance; yet they are not concerned about bearing children nor do they become pregnant” and suggest that they may have been describing women with PCOS.[2]

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Polycystic Ovary Syndrome , pp. 1 - 7
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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References

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