Depression in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
October 2023
in “
Journal of clinical medicine
”
TLDR Women with PCOS are much more likely to experience depression.
This systematic review and meta-analysis examined 19 studies involving 4,002 women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) to assess the prevalence and severity of depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The findings revealed a mean depression prevalence of 31% among PCOS patients, with a standardized mean difference in HADS scores of 0.421 compared to healthy controls, indicating a moderate effect size. PCOS patients were found to have a more than 2.5-fold higher probability of depression compared to healthy women. The study emphasizes the need for routine mental health screening and psychological interventions for women with PCOS.