Diabetes And PCOS

Wondering what PCOS is and why we’re talking about it in a magazine for people with diabetes? DL dietitian and diabetes educator Dr Kate Marsh explains.

- Kate Marsh

It affects about 15 per cent of Australian women of reproductive age and was once considered a fertility issue, but we now know there is more to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) than just difficulty falling pregnant.

Symptoms usually start during puberty, or in the early to mid-twenties, but they can occur at any age, and PCOS is the most common endocrine (hormonal) disorder in women. It is estimated that between 12 and 18 per cent of Australian women of reproductive age are affected, and up to 21 per cent in high-risk groups such as Indigenous women.

So why is there more to PCOS than just fertility issues?

The majority of women with PCOS have insulin resistance underlying their condition – the same problem that occurs in type 2 diabetes. This means women with PCOS are at much higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In fact, a 2010 review found that after taking weight into account, women with PCOS had a four-fold increased risk of type 2 diabetes and a 2.5-fold risk of pre-diabetes compared with women without the condition.

A more recent study found that women with PCOS were almost nine times more likely to develop type 2, and twice as likely to develop gestational diabetes, as women without.