Women in UK with PCOS facing widespread failures in treatment, report finds

Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome face long waits for diagnosis and poor access to treatment, a parliamentary report has warned.

More than a third of women with PCOS waited over four years for a diagnosis, according to findings from the all-party parliamentary group.

After being diagnosed, 38 per cent said they were not offered any resources.

PCOS affects one in eight UK women of childbearing age.

The condition causes irregular periods, higher levels of the androgen hormone (which can trigger excess facial or body hair), and enlarged ovaries with fluid-filled sacs.

The report was based on patient surveys, oral evidence sessions and freedom of information requests to all 42 integrated care boards in England.

Only three per cent of patients felt supported by their healthcare providers. Almost a third reported feeling dismissed or not taken seriously.

Michelle Welsh is Labour MP for Sherwood Forest and chair of the APPG on PCOS.

She said: “PCOS affects one in eight women and those assigned female at birth, yet for too long it has been sidelined in policy, overlooked in funding, and misunderstood in practice.

“This report sets out a clear and urgent case for reform. If we are serious about improving women’s health, we must act now to break the cycle.”

The inquiry also revealed inequalities.

Women from Black and Asian backgrounds were up to 2.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with PCOS.

Those from ethnic minority groups more often had severe symptoms, including insulin resistance, a condition where the body struggles to use insulin properly.

Dr Itunu Johnson-Sogbetun, GP and founder of the Royal College of GPs’ women’s health special interest group, said the report reflected “what many of us with PCOS already know from lived experience: care is fragmented, diagnosis is delayed, and long-term risks are too often ignored.”

“PCOS is a multisystem condition, yet the NHS frequently treats it narrowly as a fertility or gynaecological issue.

“The report rightly highlights the postcode lottery of care, the lack of national pathways, and the absence of coordinated support for the metabolic, cardiovascular, and psychological complications that come with PCOS.”

The study also highlighted that the absence of Nice primary care guidance for PCOS had created a postcode lottery for patients, with variations in care across regions of the UK.

As a result, diagnosis often depends on individual clinician judgment, which can result in inconsistent and uncertain care.

Rachel Morman, chair of the charity Verity, said: “While this inquiry is about PCOS, it really is a barometer for how we value and prioritise women’s health across the entire system.

“For a condition affecting millions across the UK, with a significant cost burden to the NHS when not managed proactively in integrated care settings, this level of neglect is unacceptable.

“We welcome the report and its recommendations, and stand ready to work with the government to deliver the change that is so urgently needed.”