Hospital-based prevalence of polycystic ovarian syndrome among Omani women

Background Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is considered to be one of the most common endocrine disorders among women of reproductive age. It is known to be one of the main causes of infertility. The worldwide prevalence is estimated to be 6-7%; however, the country-specific prevalence estimates vary extensively. In Oman, the prevalence of PCOS is still unknown. Objective This study aimed to determine the hospital based prevalence of PCOS among Omani women of reproductive age group of 12-45 years who attended the gynecology clinic in a tertiary hospital in Oman. Materials and methods This is a retrospective cross-sectional study that included all cases of PCOS that presented at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) from July 2006 to December 2010. Data were collected from patients' electronic health records available in SQUH. Diagnoses of PCOS were made according to the Rotterdam criteria. Prevalence estimates were standardized to the mid-year population of Omani women in year 2009. Results A total of 255 PCOS cases were enumerated among 3644 women who attended Gynecology outpatient department, indicating a hospital based frequency of 7.0%. The overall prevalence of PCOS per 1000 patients in 2010 was 2.8% [95% confidence intervals (95%CI) 0.7, 9.6]. Our study revealed a high prevalence of PCOS among women in the age group of 25-34 years. The highest prevalence was in the Muscat region (42%) followed by Dhakliya and Al Batinah regions. Conclusions This study shows the prevalence of diagnosed PCOS cases among women in Oman is similar to that of other countries. It highlights the need for future research to carry out a population-based assessment of PCOS prevalence.