Definition of Syndrome, Stein-Leventhal

1. Surprising Benefits of Sex Slideshow Pictures
2. Take the Yeast Infection Quiz
3. What's Causing Your Pelvic Pain Slideshow

Syndrome, Stein-Leventhal: Known descriptively as polycystic ovarian (PCO) disease, this syndrome is an hormonal problem that causes women to have various symptoms including:

1. Irregular or no periods
2. Acne
3. Obesity, and
4. Excess hair growth.

Women with PCO are at a higher risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and uterine (endometrial) cancer. Much of this risk can be reversed by exercise and weight loss. It is also important for women with PCO to have regular periods -- if a woman does not have regular periods, her risk of endometrial cancer rises -- so medication is prescribed to induce regular periods.

For acne or excess hair growth, a water pill (diuretic) called spironolactone can help. For PCO women who desire pregnancy, a medication called clomiphene (CLOMID) can be used to induce ovulation (cause egg production).

A type of surgery called a "wedge resection," in which a piece of the ovary is removed, seems to help some women.

No one is sure what causes PCO. However, the ovaries of women with PCO contain a number of small cysts. Hence, the name poly (many) cystic ovarian disease. The name "Stein-Leventhal" is after the late American gynecologists Irving F. Stein, Sr. and Michael Leo Leventhal.