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Review
. 2022 Aug 27;14(8):e28468.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.28468. eCollection 2022 Aug.

Influence of Subclinical Hypothyroidism on Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Literature Review

Aishwarya Peddemul  1 , Sreedevi Tejovath  2 , Danial Hassan  3   4 , Khushbu K Patel  2 , Rabia Sikandar  2 , Simranjit S Kahlon  2 , Shaalina Nair  2 , Jihan A Mostafa  2
Affiliations
Review

Influence of Subclinical Hypothyroidism on Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Literature Review

Aishwarya Peddemul et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is a commonly encountered condition in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Nevertheless, it is unclear whether SCH has any potential impact on the metabolic and reproductive profiles of women with PCOS. Hence, this literature review explores and establishes the link between these two conditions. In women with PCOS, SCH was found to aggravate insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. It was also linked to hormonal imbalances leading to higher infertility rates among the PCOS-SCH group. Therefore, women with PCOS must be screened for thyroid function frequently and managed accordingly.

Keywords: dyslipidemia; female infertility; homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (homa-ir); polycystic ovary syndrome (pcos); subclinical hypothyroidism.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Common clinical findings between PCOS and subclinical hypothyroidism
PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome Figure created by the authors
Figure 2
Figure 2. Mechanism of insulin resistance and other clinical features of PCOS
PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome Figure created by the authors
Figure 3
Figure 3. Mechanism of anovulation and infertility in PCOS
LDL, low-density lipoprotein; TG, triglycerides; FFA, free fatty acids Figure created by the authors
Figure 4
Figure 4. Management of infertility in PCOS
PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome; SCH, subclinical hypothyroidism; TSH, thyroid-stimulating hormone [37-39] Figure created by the authors
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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