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Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is the
most common hormonal disorder in women of reproductive age. It can put those affected at risk for serious health conditions including high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. PCOS can also cause infertility, a loss of hair on the scalp, excess body hair, acne and weight gain.
The disorder affects between 7 and 10 percent of women of childbearing age.
I am one of them.
During my sophomore year of college, I noticed I was getting more acne around my chin and jawline, but attributed the breakouts to high levels of stress, abnormal sleep habits, poor diet and alcohol. My teenage years were plagued by irregular, heavy periods and obvious mood swings.
Sitting in my doctor’s office, alongside my mother, I was diagnosed with PCOS after a dermatologist with the disorder suggested I get an ultrasound. I was 19. I was told I would face fertility issues. To reduce side effects, I was prescribed birth control. That was it. The conversation ended there.
I wasn’t informed of the common mental-health issues associated with PCOS. I didn’t know depression and anxiety — both of which I experienced a few years later — are reported by women with the disorder at a higher rate.
I didn’t know the unwanted facial hair under my chin was a common symptom. Instead I joked the hair was a reflection of my grandmotherly habits.
The number one issue facing women with PCOS is awareness, or lack thereof, says Megan Stewart, founder of the PCOS Awareness Association. Stewart says the absence of information surrounding the disorder comes from staunch disagreements among those within the medical profession.
“A lot of medical professionals aren’t well versed [with PCOS],” says Stewart. “So when they see the symptoms, they may equate it to thyroid complications, or even Hashimoto’s disease.” She also attributes the more than
50 percent of women with PCOS who go undiagnosed to the same disconnect.