PCOS is one of the most common causes of female infertility, affecting 6% to 12% (as many as 5 million) of US women of reproductive age. But it’s a lot more than that. This lifelong health condition continues far beyond the child-bearing years.
Women with PCOS are often insulin resistance their bodies can make insulin but can’t use it effectively, increasing their risk for type 2 diabetes. They also have higher levels of androgens (male hormones that females also have), which can stop eggs from being released (ovulation) and cause irregular periods, acne, thinning scalp hair, and excess hair growth on the face and body.
Women with PCOS can develop serious health problems, especially if they are overweight:
Diabetes—more than half of women with PCOS develop type 2 diabetes by age 40
Gestational diabetes (diabetes when pregnant)—which puts the pregnancy and baby at risk and can lead to type 2 diabetes later in life for both mother and child
Heart disease—women with PCOS are at higher risk, and risk increases with age
High blood pressure—which can damage the heart, brain, and kidneys
High LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and low HDL (“good”) cholesterol—increasing the risk for heart disease
Sleep apneaexternal icon—a disorder that causes breathing to stop during sleep and raises the risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes
Stroke—plaque (cholesterol and white blood cells) clogging blood vessels can lead to blood clots that in turn can cause a stroke
PCOS is also linked to depression and anxiety though the connection is not fully understood.
center for disease control and prevention (CDC)