Prevalence of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and its Relation to Urinary Tract Symptoms among Female Medical Students of Umm Al-Qura University

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Background / Aim: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) affects women of reproductive age. Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are characterized by urgency, frequency, and dysuria. Limited information is available regarding the possible association between PCOS and LUTS. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of PCOS among female medical students and the association between PCOS and LUTS. Materials and Method: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted from August to December 2022. An online, self-administered, and validated Arabic-based survey was conducted using Google Forms. Results: The prevalence of PCOS among the female medical students was 21.6% (n=42). The participants reported urinary tract symptoms; the most reported symptom was pelvic pain (61.9%), followed by urinary frequency (35.7%). A total of 72% of females with an intermenstrual (IM) period of < 21 days had PCOS versus 12.2% of those with variable IM periods, displaying statistically significant differences (P=.001). In addition, 71% of females with dark coarse hair on the belly had PCOS, compared to those with hair on other body parts (P=.001). PCOS was diagnosed in 57.1% of obese/overweight females and 9.7% of females with normal body mass index (P=.001). Similarly, 57.1% of currently obese females were diagnosed with PCOS, whereas 12.5% of those with normal body weight had PCOS (P=.001). Approximately 90.9% of females with milky nipple discharge had PCOS (P=.001). Conclusions: The prevalence of PCOS among female medical students is surpassing the global average; hence, awareness campaigns and educational programs must be conducted in schools and colleges to spread awareness among young girls. LUTS is a multifactorial diagnosis with no direct link to PCOS. The sample size of this study was small. Therefore, a cross-sectional study with a larger sample size is needed to investigate the association between PCOS and LUTS.