Is Social Media Helping More Women Get a PCOS Diagnosis?

"Between her chronic pain symptoms and the conversations swirling in her circles, Fortin, who owns the Alexandria romance bookstore Friends to Lovers, figured she was dealing with one of two women's health issues: either the uterine condition endometriosis or PCOS, a hormonal imbalance that leads to an overproduction of androgens (male hormones such as testosterone) and, often, insulin resistance. Symptoms include irregular periods; increased facial hair and acne; and weight gain. It can also cause infertility."

""The public conversation has gotten a lot louder about PCOS, and I think that's why it didn't feel as scary or unknown," Fortin says. "I could tell a group of five women and one of them will be like, 'Oh, I have that symptom, this is how you solve it,' or 'Oh, my cousin does this for that.' ""

"Women are posting about their diagnoses on Instagram and TikTok, highlighting diets, exercise regimens, and skincare routines that have helped their symptoms. On Reddit, users are building support communities and pleading for physicians to take the condition seriously-a common complaint with women's health issues such as PCOS, which is frequently undiagnosed."

""It's actually very common," says Dr. Marsha Solomon. The Capitol Hill ob-gyn points to data from the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists that says 13 percent of women of reproductive age suffer from PCOS, making it the most common endocrine disorder among women of that age group. Despite the recent spotlight on it, Solomon emphasizes that PCOS is not new: "Medical descriptions of symptoms that we now recognize as PCOS d"

Jamie Fortin was diagnosed with PCOS and recognized symptoms from her own chronic pain and conversations with other women. PCOS, now referred to as polycystic metabolic ovarian syndrome, involves overproduction of androgens and often insulin resistance. Common symptoms include irregular periods, increased facial hair and acne, and weight gain, and it can cause infertility. Women increasingly share diagnoses and symptom management online through Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit, including diets, exercise routines, and skincare. Support communities also urge physicians to take PCOS seriously because it is frequently undiagnosed. Dr. Marsha Solomon notes PCOS is very common, affecting 13% of women of reproductive age, and emphasizes it is not new despite recent attention.

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