PCOS is common. Your version of it is specific.
PCOS doesn’t look the same in any two people. Together we look at your cycle, your labs, your blood sugar and what matters most to you right now.
- 10–13% of reproductive-aged women are estimated to have PCOS. World Health Organization
- Up to 70% of people with PCOS haven’t been diagnosed. World Health Organization
- 2 of 3 features are needed for a diagnosis in adults, once other causes are ruled out. International PCOS guideline, 2023
Signs
What PCOS can look like.
Signs vary from person to person. According to the World Health Organization, they include:
- Irregular, unpredictable or absent periods
- Difficulty getting pregnant
- Extra hair on the face or body
- Thinning hair on the scalp
- Acne or oily skin
Diagnosis
How it’s diagnosed.
In adults, the international PCOS guideline diagnoses PCOS when two of three features are present and other causes have been ruled out.
- Irregular cycles, or other signs you’re not ovulating regularly
- Signs of higher androgens: extra hair growth or acne, or high androgen levels on a blood test
- Polycystic ovaries on ultrasound, or a high AMH blood level
= PCOS, in adults
Blood sugar
Insulin resistance and PCOS.
Insulin resistance is recognized as a key feature of PCOS, and PCOS is linked with a higher long-term risk of type 2 diabetes.
The guideline recommends checking blood sugar at diagnosis. It says the insulin blood tests available today aren’t accurate enough for routine care. More on blood sugar.
A new name
PCOS, or PMOS?
In May 2026, an international consensus proposed a new name for PCOS: polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, or PMOS. A transition to the new name is under way.
You’ll see both names for a while. This site says PCOS, because that’s still what most people search for.
Your first visit
What we’ll chat about at your first visit.
- Your cycle pattern, and any tracking you already do.
- Skin, hair, energy, mood and anything else you’ve noticed.
- Recent lab results, including blood sugar tests.
- Family history, including diabetes.
- Food, movement, sleep and stress, as they really are, not as they “should” be.
- Whether you’re trying to conceive now, later, or not at all.
Working together
Part of your care team.
- You
- Your family doctor
- Your gynaecologist
- Your fertility clinic
- Dr. Leizl Yance, ND
With your consent, I coordinate with your family doctor, gynaecologist or fertility clinic, so your plans fit together instead of competing.
Come say hi.
Your first visit is 75 minutes, all about you. Come see me at Functional Medicine Uptown in Waterloo, or join by video from anywhere in Ontario.
Not sure yet? Book a free 15-minute intro call first.