The Richmond Times-Dispatch today examines recent medical advances in the treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome, a hormonal disorder that can cause irregular menstrual cycles, obesity, acne, excess hair growth and infertility in women. For years the only available treatment for PCOS was birth control pills, which doctors prescribed to help regulate women's hormone levels. However, over the past decade, researchers have begun to understand the role that insulin resistance plays in PCOS, leading to more effective treatment with diabetes drugs such as metformin, which helps the body "better use" the insulin it produces (Smith, Richmond Times-Dispatch, 10/10). The full article is available online.