Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has a prevalence of 5-10% and is defined as oligomenorrhoea, hyperandrogenaemia and/or polycystic ovaries and the exclusion of other aetiologies for the patient's symptoms. There is currently no agreement on the initial evaluation programme for women referred with PCOS or on how the syndrome should be treated. Women with PCOS have an increased risk of the metabolic syndrome upon diagnosis and increased long-term risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and endometrial cancer. In the present overview, we give recommendations for relevant follow-up examination of patients with PCOS based on a search of the available literature.