Medicine

PCOS postpones perimenopause and allows pregnancies at older ages

AI Insight

A study published in New Scientist Health indicates that women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) experience a significantly delayed onset of perimenopause compared to the general population. Only 3 percent of individuals with PCOS reach perimenopause by age 46, suggesting that the hormonal and ovarian characteristics associated with the condition may preserve reproductive function longer. This extended fertile window may allow women with PCOS to conceive naturally at ages when most women have already entered reproductive decline.


This finding has important clinical implications for fertility counseling, as women with PCOS may have a broader reproductive lifespan than previously assumed. It also raises questions about long-term hormonal health management and the need to reassess age-related fertility guidance for this population.


Only 3 per cent of those with polycystic ovary syndrome reach perimenopause by the age of 46, which may allow them to conceive when older

Source: PCOS postpones perimenopause and allows pregnancies at older ages