According to a recent research published by WHO in 2023, PCOS affects upto 8-13% women of reproductive age globally. To add on to it, 70% of these cases go undiagnosed, because most of the women do not know what and when to reach out to a physician. 

Why does this happen? How can such a large number of cases go undiagnosed and severely untreated? 

This is owing to the fact that PCOS symptoms vary largely amongst individuals.

However, irregular periods, and infertility are few of the most common of them all. 

Why does PCOS occur? And, how come we are suddenly in the middle of an epidemic?

The exact cause, to the nightmare of women, is largely unknown. However, research does point to multiple factorial play. Imagine a toddler with a lego set? And, now visualize him breaking it all, in one go. That’s how PCOS is. 

Scientifically, four major factors influence PCOS: 

1. Environmental toxin
2. Genetic predisposition
3. Gut dysbiosis
4. Diet/lifestyle- recent studies also have pointed to chronic stress to be one of the reasons. 

These inturn influence hormone balance leading to hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance, which most prominently show-up in women with PCOS as unwanted hair and eventually diabetes. Apart from physiological symptoms, PCOS can also cause negative body image, anxiety and depression. Certain physiological symptoms, like infertility, can also lead to social stigma affecting the mental health of the individual.