[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 169 (Tuesday, September 29, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E895]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME (PCOS)

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAVID SCOTT

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 29, 2020

  Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
the seriousness of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
  PCOS is a genetic, hormone, metabolic and reproductive disorder that 
affects women and girls. PCOS can lead to lifelong complications such 
as infertility; anxiety, depression and other psychosocial disorders; 
obesity; severe hair and skin issues; endometrial cancer; type 2 
diabetes; cardiovascular disease; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and 
other life-threatening conditions. Many of these complications are a 
significant burden on quality of life, health, and the healthcare 
system.
  PCOS affects over 10 million women and girls in the United States. 
Currently, there is no cure for PCOS, and women living with this 
disorder experience symptoms such as insulin resistance, menstrual 
irregularities, weight gain, thinning scalp hair, and depression and 
anxiety during puberty and throughout their lives. PCOS is a grave 
issue that affects hundreds of thousands of women in Georgia and 
millions more across the country. For far too long, PCOS has been a 
prevalent public health concern, threatening the mental and physical 
health and quality of life of girls, women and their families.
  Increasing awareness about polycystic ovary syndrome is critical to 
our efforts to address the national maternal mortality crisis and 
prevent pregnancy-related deaths. Pregnant women with polycystic ovary 
syndrome are more likely to develop gestational diabetes, preeclampsia 
(pregnancy-related hypertension) and have emergency C-sections. Without 
access to quality prenatal care, many African American women with PCOS 
are not diagnosed until they have difficulty getting pregnant or 
experience dangerous pregnancy complications. PCOS is also the most 
common cause of female infertility. Many women living with the disorder 
often have miscarriages or premature deliveries.
  There is a growing need to educate healthcare providers about PCOS 
because 50-70 percent of PCOS patients are going undiagnosed or 
misdiagnosed. According to the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, about 50 percent of women with PCOS develop Type 2 Diabetes 
or prediabetes by the age of 40 and are at high risk for cardiovascular 
disease. Women and girls with this disorder are also at higher risk for 
uterine cancer, liver disease, and suicide.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that you join me to advance this bipartisan 
effort and make PCOS a public health priority.

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