One of the main risk factors for PCOS is a family history of it. Your risk of having to deal with this syndrome is related to whether other women in your family have it, and if they have irregular periods or diabetes. This disease can be passed down from either the mother’s or father’s side.
There also may be a greater risk of PCOS among women with excess insulin. Insulin is another chemical messenger produced in the pancreas that allows cells to use glucose, the body’s main source of energy. When cells build up a resistance to glucose and do not pull it out of the bloodstream, it's called insulin resistance. The pancreas has to push out more insulin for cells' energy use, and generally, blood sugar levels rise. Further, women with PCOS may be at greater risk of diabetes.
Researchers have also found that women with PCOS have low-grade inflammation that encourages the production of androgen by polycystic ovaries. PCOS can be diagnosed in women as early as their 20s and 30s.
Long-term use of the anti-seizure medication Valproate, aka Depakote, has also been tied to an increased risk of PCOS.
Possible Complications of Undiagnosed PCOS
The earlier the diagnosis, the earlier symptoms can be treated without advancing to other related diseases.
- More than 50 percent of women with PCOS will be pre-diabetic or diabetic by age 40, according to the Office on Women’s Health.