Symptoms - Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) usually appear in your late teens or early 20s.

You may not experience all of the PCOS symptoms. How severe the symptoms are varies.

Symptoms of PCOS include:

• irregular periods or no periods at all
• difficulty getting pregnant
• excess hair growth (hirsutism) - usually on your face, chest, back or bottom
• weight gain
• thinning hair and hair loss (alopecia)
• oily skin or acne

Fertility problems and PCOS

PCOS is one of the most common causes of fertility problems in women.

You may find out you have PCOS when you are trying for a baby.

If you have PCOS, you may have:

• irregular periods - your ovaries are not releasing an egg every month
• no periods at all - your ovaries are not releasing an egg at all

This means you might find it difficult to get pregnant.

Fertility problems