PCOS: diagnosis, treatment and everyday life

Plain guides built on the 2023 international PCOS guideline: diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, fertility and looking after your health over the years.

4 min read How PCOS is diagnosed How symptoms, blood tests and scans fit together, and why assessment is different for adolescents. There is no single test that diagnoses PCOS.
4 min read Living with PCOS: food, movement and weight What evidence says about food and activity for PCOS, with support that respects your body, preferences and circumstances.
5 min read PCOS treatment options How hormonal treatments, metformin and other options fit different PCOS goals, including the limits of inositol evidence.
5 min read PCOS, fertility and pregnancy Options for ovulation-related fertility problems, pregnancy planning and the extra checks recommended with PCOS. Includes when to get help.
4 min read PCOS: changes to periods, skin and hair Why PCOS can affect periods, acne and hair growth, which treatments may help, and when to ask for assessment. Acne or scalp hair loss alone cannot confirm PCOS.
4 min read PCOS: long-term health and emotional wellbeing The checks recommended for diabetes, heart health and the womb lining, plus support for sleep, mood and eating difficulties.
4 min read What PCOS is, and why its name has changed What PCOS means, its new name PMOS, common symptoms and why care reaches beyond periods and fertility. You can have PCOS without polycystic ovaries on a scan.

Written by the Veya team from the sources listed in each guide. They aren’t medical advice; if you’re worried about a symptom, talk to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist.