Comprehensive Report: Screening Tests for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

This report examines the role of screening tests in the diagnosis and treatment of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder affecting women. It highlights that PCOS diagnosis traditionally relies on patient history, blood tests, and imaging, but argues for the implementation of cheaper and more accessible screening tests for conditions like obstructive sleep apnea, anxiety, and depression, which are often associated with PCOS. While acknowledging the validity of blood and imaging tests, the report emphasizes the benefits of screening tests due to their lower cost and simpler execution. It suggests that screening efforts should target women of reproductive age with PCOS symptoms or risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, and family history. The report concludes that incorporating screening tests alongside existing diagnostic methods can lead to earlier identification and more cost-effective management of PCOS.

Running head; POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME 1
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Student’s name
Institutional affiliation
Due date

POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME 2
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder among women that is
caused by overproduction of male hormones. This makes women to have some male
characteristics such as baldness and hairy face. In addition, the women may have prolonged
menstrual periods which may make it difficult for them to become pregnant. This paper focuses
on screening tests of PCOS.
According to Orio, Muscogiuri, Nese, Palomba, Savastano, Tafuri, & Yildiz, (2016), the
diagnosis and treatment of PCOS is requires doctors to collect patient history focusing on
menstrual periods and other characteristics of the disease. Blood and imaging tests are conducted
before one is diagnosed of PCOS. Blood tests are good at measuring hormone levels in the body
while the imaging ultrasound tests are necessary to check for signs and symptoms in the ovaries.
In addition, diagnosis may also include periodic checks and screening tests. Doctors may screen
for obstructive sleep apnea, anxiety and depression. Screening tests for PCOS are suitable in the
diagnosis and treatment of the disease because the screening test is cheap, it causes little harm
and discomfort to the patient. Other characteristics that also make screening suitable for PCO is
that the screening is easy to conduct and it produces valid and reliable results.
El Hayek, Bitar, Hamdar, Mirza, & Daoud, (2016) argues that despite the fact that PCOS
is among the most common endocrine condition in the country, it has not attracted enough
attention to warrant the government to institute screening tests for the disease. Very little
screening programs of the disease have been implemented due to the overreliance on blood and
imaging tests to diagnose for the disease. The blood and imaging tests are valid and reliable but
they are costly and they require high technology and skilled professionals. Therefore, it is very
likely that the screening tests for PCOS will develop as the screening tests are cheap and they

POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME 3
don’t require sophisticated skills and technology. The screening tests should test obstructive
sleep apnea, anxiety and depression. The tests should however focus on reducing false positives
as there are other factors likely to cause the anxiety and depression other than PCOS.
The best population for screening on the disease may be women of reproductive age who
exhibit the signs and symptoms of the disease. In addition, women with risk factors of the
disease such as diabetes, a family history of diabetes. Obesity and sedentary lifestyle, prolactin
disorders, thyroid disease and primary hypothalamic amenorrhea among other factors. This is
because, women of reproductive age have a larger likelihood of getting the infection than those
who are younger Orio, et al (2016). Consequently, prevalence rates increase with increase in the
risk factors of the disease (Witchel, Oberfield, Rosenfield, Codner, Bonny, Ibáñez, & Tfayli,
2015). It is therefore necessary to consider the most prevalent population for the screening tests.
In conclusion, it is evident to point out that PCOS can be diagnosed through screening in
addition to the blood and imaging tests that are already in use. It is important that the screening
tests be implemented for early identification of the disease and to make it cheaper to treat the
condition.

POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME 4
References
El Hayek, S., Bitar, L., Hamdar, L. H., Mirza, F. G., & Daoud, G. (2016). Poly cystic ovarian
syndrome: an updated overview. Frontiers in physiology, 7, 124.
Orio, F., Muscogiuri, G., Nese, C., Palomba, S., Savastano, S., Tafuri, D., ... & Yildiz, B. O.
(2016). Obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease risk: an uptodate in
the management of polycystic ovary syndrome. European Journal of Obstetrics &
Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 207, 214-219.
Witchel, S. F., Oberfield, S., Rosenfield, R. L., Codner, E., Bonny, A., Ibáñez, L., ... & Tfayli, H.
(2015). The diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome during adolescence. Hormone
research in paediatrics, 83(6), 376-389.