Published online Jul 10, 2015. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v6.i7.936
Peer-review started: October 21, 2014
First decision: January 20, 2015
Revised: February 23, 2015
Accepted: March 30, 2015
Article in press: April 2, 2015
Published online: July 10, 2015
Processing time: 263 Days and 14.6 Hours
Core tip: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a highly complex and heterogeneous disorder that is significantly influenced by genetic and environmental factors. There is some evidence that the development of PCOS may begin during the intrauterine period. Fetuses exposed to intrauterine nutritional restriction often have lowered insulin secretion and, as a compensatory mechanism, insulin resistance, which is known as the “thrifty” phenotype. Additionally, an impaired intrauterine nutritional environment can affect the methylation of some specific genes, which can trigger PCOS. The other hypothesis postulates that fetal exposure to excess androgen can induce changes in differentiating tissues, causing the PCOS phenotype and related disorders to develop in adult life.