Author(s): Elissa Wardell, Julia Hughes
Mentor(s): Brianna Magnusson
Institution BYU
PCOS is an endocrine disorder that affects an estimated 6–20% of reproductive-age women and presents a complex array of symptoms and diagnostic requirements. Symptoms of PCOS often impact a woman's fertility and self-image. Through 39 semi-structured interviews of randomly selected women with a PCOS diagnosis, we determined that many women find that PCOS affects their relationships with partners and influences their self-image. Women specifically struggle with (1) guilt regarding infertility or low libido, (2) seeking reassurance of their physical attractiveness from partners as they struggle with self-image, and (3) the shared experience of infertility, which sometimes brings partners closer together, but also proved to be a barrier for others connection. The individual experiences of women with PCOS in relation to fertility and self-image are highly variable, but we found that a woman's connection to her partner often provides essential support and encouragement.