The 411 on Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS): The Disease Affecting More College Women Than You Might Think

As collegiettes™, we know it’s important to stay on top of our health by getting enough sleep, eating right and washing out hands.  And we know to watch our for nasty illnesses, like pink eye and the flu.  But there’s a condition that affects roughly 5 to 10 percent of all reproductive-age women that many collegiettes™ don’t know about: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). September is PCOS Month, so here at Her Campus, we’re taking a closer look at what PCOS is and how to recognize and manage it because we’re willing to guess that there’s a girl in your dorm, or your sorority, or on your sports team, who has it.
 
Ok, so what exactly is PCOS?
PCOS is an endocrine disorder that can manifest anytime during the time that menstruation occurs, according to Dr. Clare Flannery, an Associate Research Scientist in Endocrinology at the Yale School of Medicine. This means the condition typically affects those between the ages of 11 and 50 — meaning college-aged women are at risk.
 
Characterized primarily by small cysts in the ovaries, as the name suggests, PCOS can lead to early onset diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The condition occurs due to an imbalance in the female sex hormones, which can be prompted by behaviors many collegiettes™ take part in: taking the Pill, having a poor diet, experiencing high levels of stress and using petroleum-based cosmetic products, such as petroleum jelly, certain powders and others.
 
Though women who are obese are at greater risk for developing PCOS, any woman at the reproductive stage may be diagnosed with the condition. In addition, PCOS can be passed down genetically, and may affect multiple systems in the body, including the reproductive system — going as far as to cause infertility.
 
How do I know if I have PCOS?
PCOS can be hard to identify because there isn’t any one symptom or set of symptoms that suggests the presence of PCOS, explains Dr. Kai I. Cheang, Associate Professor of Pharmacotherapy & Outcomes Science at Virginia Commonwealth University, who notes that any of the following may result from the syndrome:

• Absent or irregular periods
• Excess hair growth on the face or body
• Acne that’s difficult to control
• Weight gain and/or difficulty losing weight