Prevalence and Determinants of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome among Young University Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), known as most widespread endocrinological disorder, affects 5–10% of women of reproductive age. In adult women, PCOS prevalence range is from 2.2% to 26%. In a recent study, the proportion of adolescents with a verified diagnosis of PCOS ranged from 5 to 15% to 10 to 22%. Women who had not yet been identified but had symptoms that met NIH (National Institute of Health) criteria for PCOS were included. PCOS is a complex endocrine condition that most frequently affects women who are fertile. Since the diagnostic criteria for PCOS in the adolescent age group are still being developed, it is unknown how common PCOS is in adolescents. PCOS symptoms also frequently coincide with those of normal pubertal development, making a diagnosis even more difficult. Studying the prevalence and determinants of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) in adult university women is the main objective of this study. Objective: This study objective was to identify the prevalence and determinants of polycystic ovarian syndrome among young university women Methods: A total of 300 participants aged 18-25 years old from studying in three different universities of Chattogram were sampled. Systematic random sampling was used to select potential participants. A list of young women was gathered from the study site and the sample from 3 different universities was divided equally. Data was collected through questionnaires and surveys. Results: The study observed that 24.7% women had PCOS meaning 74 women out of 300 answered yes that they have PCOS according to their medical diagnosis. Students who participated in the study were mostly aged from 18 to 25 years old where 58% women were 23 years old which is the highest and 12.3% women were 24 years old and the rest of the age was below 10%. The percentage of married women was 29.3 and unmarried women was 69.7. Women who had PCOS among them 40 were married and 33 were unmarried them. Clearly, age and marital status played vital roles for determinants of PCOS. Conclusion: This study showed that women who are in their young adulthood have more tendency to get PCOS. Married women have PCOS more than unmarried ones. Menstrual irregularity, weight gain, excessive hair growth, hair loss, acne are the main problems that PCOS affected women go though. Besides, PCOS affects the quality of life as well as mental health. Therefore, there is an imminent need for raising awareness among women. It is vitally important that young women take initiative to change their lifestyle in order to prevent the long-term effects of PCOS.