Pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome: multifactorial assessment from the foetal stage to menopause.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multifactorial disorder that arises from interactions between genetic, environmental and intra-uterine factors. Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) babies and the daughters of mothers with PCOS represent possible postnatal clinical targets for developmental programming by steroid excess. The presence of excess glucocorticoids and/or androgens during foetal organogenesis and growth might promote changes in gene expression, and these changes might be related to an increase in the risk of PCOS-like reproductive and metabolic disorders in postnatal life, such as rapid growth and weight gain during the first 2 years of life (only in SGA babies), hyperinsulinaemia, adipocyte dysfunction and childhood visceral obesity, premature pubarche and adrenarche (only in SGA babies) and PCOS.

Combined oral contraceptive for treatment of women with uterine fibroids and abnormal uterine bleeding: a systematic review.

Background/aims: We aimed at assessing the efficacy of combined oral contraceptives (COC) in treating women with uterine leiomyomata and heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), as well as their effect over quality of life (QoL), tumor size, and hemoglobin concentration.

Methods: We searched various electronic databases and reference lists from all included studies. Randomized and nonrandomized controlled clinical trials were selected, and two trials were considered eligible - one randomized and one 'pseudo'-randomized.