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Hum. Reprod. Advance Access published online on May 30, 2007
Human Reproduction, doi:10.1093/humrep/dem108
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© The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Quality of life and psychological well being in polycystic ovary syndrome

L. Barnard1, D. Ferriday2, N. Guenther3, B. Strauss3, A.H. Balen4 and L. Dye2,5

1 Clinical Psychology Training Programme, University of Leeds, 15 Hyde Terrace, Leeds LS2 9LT, UK 2 Institute of Psychological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK 3 Institute for Psychosocial Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Jena, Germany 4 Department of Reproductive Medicine, Clarendon Wing, Leeds General Infirmary, Great George Street, Leeds LS1 3EX, UK

5 Correspondence address. Tel: +01 13 343 5707; Fax: +01 13 343 5749; E-mail: l.dye{at}leeds.ac.uk

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with poor quality of life (QoL) and high levels of depression. Existing research is confounded by small sample sizes and inconsistent use of control groups.

METHODS: Depression and QoL were assessed in women with PCOS and healthy controls (n = 1359). The polycystic ovary syndrome health-related QoL questionnaire (PCOSQ) was modified to include an acne subscale.

RESULTS: Seventy-one percentage of women with PCOS who were taking anti-androgen (AA) medication and 67% not taking AA medication were classified as depressed. Women with PCOS had lower QoL on all seven factors of the modified PCOSQ (emotional disturbance, weight, infertility, acne, menstrual symptoms, menstrual predictability and hirsutism). Weight was the largest contributor to poor QoL for women taking and not taking AA medication. Women taking AA medication, independent of diagnosis, generally had better QoL than women not taking them.

CONCLUSIONS: This large study refines our understanding of depression and QoL in PCOS and demonstrates the need to regularly review the psychological health of women with PCOS.

Key words: depression/quality of life/polycystic ovary syndrome/acne/infertility

Submitted on January 23, 2007; resubmitted on March 5, 2007; accepted on April 2, 2007.


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