Which statement describes a common symptom of PCOS in children?

• A. Irregular menses (<9 per year)
• B. Weight loss with normal menses
• C. Hyperactivity and aggression
• D. Short stature

Answer: (A)

Irregular menstrual cycles are a common sign of PCOS in adolescents because the condition often causes anovulation, so ovulation doesn’t occur each cycle and periods become infrequent. In teens, you’ll typically see cycles that are irregular or spaced out, sometimes with fewer than nine periods in a year.

Other options don’t fit the typical pattern: weight loss with normal menses isn’t common in PCOS (weight gain or insulin resistance is more typical), hyperactivity and aggression aren’t features of PCOS, and short stature isn’t associated with this condition. The key idea is that irregular, infrequent periods reflect the disrupted ovulation that characterizes PCOS in young people.