Reproductive healthLecture
PCOS: The Role of LH in Pathogenesis and Treatment
PCOS affects 8-13% of women of reproductive age and drives 70% of anovulatory infertility. A look at the role of elevated LH in PCOS pathogenesis, the 2023 international guideline, the revised Rotterdam criteria — and what a personalised stimulation pathway looks like in 2026.
Audio: UASubtitles: EN · UA · RU27 min
Nataliia Dankovych
MD, DSc
Doctor of Medical Sciences and CEO of the Medical Plaza group of medical companies in Kyiv. Obstetrician-gynecologist and specialist in reproductive medicine with more than 25 years of practice.
Ukraine
What was shown
The clinical scale of PCOS — 8-13% of women of reproductive age globally, up to 20-25% in some ethnic groups — and the role of elevated LH in driving the syndrome and complicating stimulation. The 2023 international PCOS guideline, the revised Rotterdam criteria, and a real-world look at NHSU caseload showing how often PCOS sits behind anovulatory infertility.
Key findings
PCOS accounts for around 70% of anovulatory infertility cases. Elevated LH is both a diagnostic marker and a driver of theca-cell hyperandrogenism. Stimulation pitfalls in PCOS — premature LH surge, OHSS risk, asynchronous follicular growth — are largely predictable from baseline LH and ovarian morphology. The 2023 guideline reframes diagnosis and management around the revised Rotterdam criteria with stricter ultrasound thresholds.
