About us PCOS Help Online
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common health condition that affects 8-13% of women of reproductive age. It is more common in some high-risk groups, such as Indigenous women. Most women at some point have to contend with weight gain. But for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), Losing weight can become a constant struggle. The good news is that women with PCOS can actually win the struggle against weight gain.
In these pages, you will learn all about the causes, signs, and symptoms of PCOS, how it is diagnosed and what treatments are available to help. There is information on PCOS and irregular periods, fertility problems, acne, excess hair, hair loss, depression, anxiety, sex and relationships, weight management, and other health conditions associated with PCOS, such as metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Because of individuals like you, we now touch the lives of tens-of-thousands of women with PCOS and their supporters each year through cable television and radio programming, online and offline support groups, grants, research, education, awareness and advocacy initiatives. Since our beginning, we’ve helped many women find answers that helped them overcome their struggles with infertility, weight gain, anxiety and depression and reduce their risk for life-threatening related conditions.
Important Facts and Research Regarding PCOS
- PCOS is a complex hormonal, metabolic and reproductive disorder that affects up to 15% of women in the United States.
PCOS is a leading cause of infertility in women. - Women with PCOS constitute the largest group of women at risk for developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimate more than 50% of women with PCOS will become diabetic or prediabetic before age 40.
- Some studies have shown women with PCOS to be at three times higher risk for endometrial cancer, two times higher risk for ovarian cancer, and two to four times higher risk for breast cancer.
- Some studies have shown due to symptoms of anxiety and depression, suicide attempts are up to seven times more common in women with PCOS than other women.
- Pre-teens and teens can develop PCOS. Earlier diagnosis can give them the opportunity to better manage the emotional, internal and physical effects of PCOS.
- It can also help them prevent the onset of more serious illnesses related to PCOS.
- Despite affecting millions of women and the serious health consequences, PCOS is unknown to most people and a staggering 50% of the women living with PCOS are going undiagnosed.
