• Jacqueline A Boyle, Joan Cunningham, Kerin O'Dea, Terry Dunbar, and Robert J Norman.
• Jean Hailes for Women's Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC. jacqueline.boyle@monash.edu
• Med. J. Aust. 2012 Jan 16; 196 (1): 62-6.

ObjectiveTo document the prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and its associated characteristics in a sample of urban Indigenous women.DesignA cross-sectional survey of Indigenous women, including biochemical and anthropometric assessments. PCOS was assessed using the National Institutes of Health 1990 criteria.Setting And ParticipantsIndigenous women, aged 15-44 years, living in a defined area in and around Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, September 2003-March 2005.Main Outcome MeasuresProportion of participants with PCOS overall and measures of obesity.ResultsAmong 248 women eligible for assessment, the proportion who had PCOS was 15.3% (95% CI, 10.8%-19.8%). The proportion with PCOS was similar across age groups, but was significantly higher (P = 0.001) in women with a body mass index (BMI) of ≥ 30.0 kg/m(2) (30.5%) compared with women with a BMI of 25.0-29.9 kg/m(2) (8.2%) or a BMI of < 25.0 kg/m(2) (7.0%).ConclusionsA high proportion of these Indigenous women had PCOS. The significant relationship with obesity gives a strong rationale for screening for PCOS during routine care of Indigenous women who are obese and of reproductive age.

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