What are the possible health problems associated with PCOS?
PCOS might be a problem of the ovaries, but it changes the body’s hormone levels and can affect the whole body. Untreated PCOS can lead to: • infertility; • excessive hair growth; • diabetes; • heart disease; • bleeding in the uterus; • increased risk of miscarriage; • increased risk of gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy); • sleep apnea (brief periods when you stop breathing during sleep); and • uterine cancer. Not all women with PCOS will develop all of these conditions, but having PCOS increases the risks. Having PCOS can be hard on your self-esteem because the symptoms are so noticeable. If you have PCOS you can try to focus on what you can change about the unpleasant PCOS symptoms and put the rest of your energy into the parts of your life that PCOS can’t touch – friends, family, school, work, and the other things you enjoy.
