Abstract:

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most frequent endocrinopathies in women of reproductive age and reflects interactions between genetic, metabolic and environmental factors. This research aimed to identify the prevalence of symptoms associated with PCOS in women with the syndrome and to compare them to women without the disease, through an online questionnaire. 2458 women were evaluated, 1229 in the PCOS group, aged between 15 and 45 years, matched for age with 1229 women without PCOS in the control group. The mean age was 28.05 (5.98) years, with no differences between groups (p=0.999). Women with PCOS had higher weight, BMI and a higher prevalence of obesity and overweight when compared to the control group (p<0.001). As for menstrual and reproductive parameters, women with PCOS had a higher prevalence of irregular menstrual cycle (55.7%; 25.2%, p<0.001), greater difficulty in becoming pregnant (p<0.001) and amenorrhea for more than two months (p<0.001) when compared to the control group. The prevalence, in percentage values, of obesity, anxiety and depression was higher in women with PCOS. Women in the PCOS group had greater weight gain in the last six months (p=0.031) and reported more difficulty in losing weight, acne, hirsutism and hair loss when compared with women without PCOS (p<0.001). This study allowed us to conclude that women with PCOS present more changes in menstrual, reproductive and clinical parameters when compared to the control group, highlighting the importance of multidisciplinary strategies to alleviate these symptoms and ensure a better quality of life for these women.

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