Welcome to another PCOS news roundup! There’s a lot going on in the PCOS space recently, so let’s get right to some of the most interesting (even controversial) stories. For good or for bad, I have thoughts!

New Studies/Insights

A Guide to PCOS and Menopause (via Verywell Health)

I was really excited to see a post about PCOS that mentioned menopause–not because it’s relevant to me (yet–plenty of time till then!), but because it goes with my belief that discussions of PCOS should go just beyond fertility (hence the title of this blog)–while fertility is of course important, the focus in PCOS is primarily just on that, when there is so much more to it–especially since not everyone’s aim is to get pregnant, but just to live a more healthy life. And PCOS will still be an issue for many women even after they’re done having kids (if they choose to). So issues like menopause and how it relates to PCOS are things that I (and I think many others) want to hear more about.

This informative article is a comprehensive look at how PCOS is affected by menopause, and vice versa. The bad news is that PCOS does not go away with menopause, as you might think. But what’s interesting is that women without PCOS tend to experience similar symptoms to it once they hit menopause.

The whole guide is worth reading and referring back to, with great resources/studies for further reading.

“I felt like she didn’t take me seriously”: a multi-methods study examining patient satisfaction and experiences with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in Canada (via BMC Women’s Health)

As if we needed (yet another) study to tell us that doctors don’t take patients (particularly women, and especially women of color) seriously, here’s yet more proof–and it’s not just in the US. Even with PCOS becoming more common, doctors are still frustratingly uninformed on it, and worse will often dismiss patients coming in with real, serious issues. It’s certainly disheartening, but this kind of information is important to know if anything is going to change.

Apple Period-Tracking Data Powers Large New Study on Menstrual Health (via Gizmodo)

It is exciting to see that there has been a pretty wide study of menstrual health and PCOS. Harvard and Apple collaborated to do this study. The study of 37,000 respondents showed that a bit more than 10% have PCOS (higher than most estimates), and most are diagnosed in their 20s and 30s. It also showed the common related health issues to PCOS, including diabetes, heart issues, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and weight issues/obesity. While the study is preliminary, it’s hopefully the beginning of a deeper understanding of PCOS, treatments, etc, which is sorely needed as more and more women are diagnosed each year.

Insight into Male PCOS (via News Medical)

This is one of those “studies” that make me go like this:

via GIPHY

I’ve seen references to “male PCOS” before, and it annoys me every time I see it. The studies attempt to say that because men have certain similar symptoms to women with PCOS such as alopecia (baldness), insulin sensitivity, etc., that a male equivalent to PCOS must exist. I’m no scientist, but I would submit that if a person doesn’t have ovaries, they can’t have PCOS.

But that’s just me.

via GIPHY

What PCOS/women’s health news are you reading lately? Add yours below!

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Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and do not claim to offer medical advice in these posts. These are meant to be informational only. Please consult further with your doctor for specific advice and treatment plans.

Image by Content Pixie on Unsplash