Abstract
BACKGROUND: Clinical manifestations associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) significantly impact the lives of affected individuals, and understanding the clinical presentation is essential for early diagnosis, appropriate management, and improving patient outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the clinical characteristics of patients with polycystic ovaries and those with normal ovarian morphology. METHODS: This prospective-retrospective study included two randomly selected groups of 50 reproductive-age patients each: one group diagnosed with PCOS and a control group with normal ovaries. RESULTS: To facilitate better comparison, patients in both groups were further divided into five age categories. Clinical evaluation focused on disorders identified through inspection, including obesity, hirsutism, acne, and alopecia. Significant differences were observed between patients with PCOS and those with normal ovaries regarding age at menarche, menstrual cycle regularity, and the prevalence of hirsutism and acne. PCOS is associated with ovarian dysfunction, reflected in disturbances of menstrual cycle rhythm, bleeding quality, and duration. CONCLUSION: In addition, hirsutism and acne were markedly more prevalent among patients with PCOS compared to the control group.