Is PCOS Genetic?

Wanting to understand if a health condition like PCOS is genetic makes perfect sense. Otherwise, you can start obsessing about whether it was your fault or if you did something wrong. Well, rest assured that PCOS is never your fault. 

You may also be wondering if PCOS runs in families, especially if you’ve noticed that your mother or sibling also seems to display symptoms. If you’re a parent or you’re hoping to become one, you probably want to know the likelihood of passing it on to a child. 

The causes of PCOS are quite complex, with a lot of co-factors that impact the development of the condition as well as the symptoms. While genetics almost definitely play a role, we don’t have a perfect understanding of what that role is. That said, we do know it’s often hereditary. In this post, we’ll explain the distinction, and touch on a few other burning questions related to PCOS as a genetic condition. 

Is PCOS Hereditary? 

Let’s start with what we know: PCOS is hereditary. In other words, this means that it usually runs in families. If women in your family have PCOS, there’s a higher likelihood that you’ll have PCOS or at least a predisposition to it.

PCOS and Genetics

There are major genetic factors behind PCOS, but what they are exactly is not clear. We know that PCOS is probably genetic because of the way it seems to run in families. 

For example, identical twins are twice as likely to both have PCOS when compared to fraternal twins where one has PCOS. In other words, when someone has PCOS, there’s a greater likelihood that their closer genetic relatives will also have PCOS compared to more distant ones.

However, researchers have yet to identify any specific genes that are consistently involved in PCOS. Instead, they’ve identified a lot of different genes that can be involved in some cases, and not in others, as well as environmental factors that can impact gene behavior in a way that’s inheritable. 

Are You Born With PCOS?

You’re born with the genetic predisposition to developing PCOS. Colloquially, even doctors often say that PCOS is something you’re born with, but in practice, it’s not quite right. 

The parameters for PCOS diagnosis (an irregular period, cysts on the ovaries, and elevated androgen hormones) can only show up once you reach puberty, and sometimes well after puberty. 

PCOS usually makes itself known around the teen years when menstruation is usually supposed to start. More frequently, though, women are diagnosed in their 20s or 30s after they notice symptoms or as they struggle to conceive. 

In some cases, PCOS symptoms only start after serious hormonal changes or disturbances, like going off of birth control or after giving birth. 

Other Causes and Co-Factors

While PCOS is largely inherent, there are other factors that can contribute to it. It’s not always clear what’s a cause and what’s a symptom, but what’s undeniable is that many of these can make your PCOS symptoms worse. 

They include the following: 

• • Insulin-resistance

• • Adrenal fatigue

• • Chronic inflammation

• • Estrogen dominance 

Functional PCOS Treatment

While PCOS is probably genetic, it’s also incredibly complex. Because of how different it is from person to person, there’s a lot we don’t know about it or how it develops. It also means that in order to understand how to treat it, we need to adjust our lens from macro to micro. 

That’s why, as a naturopathic doctor, I understand the value of treating each new patient like an individual. I aim to gain a deep understanding of how your PCOS presents itself through labs and testing, while also learning about who you are as a person. Through this comprehensive process, I can then develop an evidence-based treatment, rather than the one-size-fits-all approach of mainstream medicine. 

By working with my patients to implement dietary and lifestyle changes, I help them control their symptoms and achieve their goals, whether they’re aiming to conceive, lose weight, or just feel more at home in their bodies. If you’d like to start treating your PCOS through this functional medicine approach, go ahead and book a consultation. Together we can overcome the limitations of your diagnosis, and help you thrive!