How this fits in

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a lifelong condition with serious associated comorbidities. Recent evidence points to delays in diagnosis and a lack of trust by women with PCOS towards their primary care providers. This study explores women’s experiences of how PCOS is diagnosed and managed in UK general practice. Women’s experiences suggest that PCOS is not viewed as a multisystem hormonal imbalance with serious associated long-term comorbidities and a strong association with mental health problems. Instead, for some women, too much emphasis is placed on the reproductive problems attributed to PCOS. Further research should focus on increasing GPs’ awareness of PCOS-associated comorbidities and the chronic, multisystem nature of the condition. Further research is also needed to explore how ethnicity impacts on the experiences of women with PCOS.