>I've just, today, had a call from a woman who is about to adopt,
>and is considering breastfeeding.  In taking the history and looking at
>maternal background, I learnt that she has polycystic ovaries - *no*
>menstrual periods, never pregnant.  In the three decades I have been
>involved with relactation/induced lactation, I haven't had this
>particular situation - well, we didn't ask all the questions we would
>now, in the very early days.

Virginia,
My research thus far on PCOS women who have given birth suggests that,
though many lactate perfectly normally, there may be an unusual
percentage who suffer from insufficient milk problems.  On the other side
of the coin, 20% of PCOS women are hyperprolactinemic and may account for
a number of those overproduction cases we've all seen.  So my short
answer would be--- hard to predict.  It would be interesting to do a
prolactin level on her and see if she is one of those 20%  (an excellent
outlook for induced lactation, I would think).  Outside of that, you just
won't be able to tell until she tries.

Lisa Marasco, BA, IBCLC