Is there a link between childhood trauma and PCOS?
Research isn't definitive, but it's certainly on to something
Anyone diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome will know how difficult it can be to get consistent information about it from healthcare professionals. Since my own diagnosis early last year, I’ve spent a lot of time researching what may be beneficial to management of my symptoms – mostly from Instagram posts, social media community groups (the experiences of others) and even ChatGPT, alongside both NHS and private healthcare.
There is a lot online about PCOS – there are many of us seeking and sharing information – and a lot of it is very contradictory: dairy is good, dairy is bad; cardio is good, cardio is bad and so on.
But something I’ve come across a fair bit is hormone experts and PCOS posters sharing that the syndrome may be caused or brought about by (e.g. epigenetics) childhood trauma in some people.
There’s a significant point being raised online that many gynaecological issues may be caused by specific types of trauma in people AFAB, and as somebody with both significant childhood trauma and PCOS, needless to say this caught my eye.
To find out more about whether there is any truth in these claims, I spoke to Dr Cecilia Lindgren, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Aneira Health.
The research on links between trauma and PCOS
Dr Cecilia told me that there has been quite a bit of research into this and a number of studies varying in scope, but that it’s difficult to confirm causation between trauma and PCOS from the results – but there is definitely a correlation.
According to Dr Cecilia, the studies that have been conducted so far haven’t included enough variables to be definitive, but “build a strong case for further investigation.”
“The research suggests that women who experienced abuse, neglect, or early-life stress may be more likely to develop PCOS or suffer more severe symptoms (such as irregular periods, excess hair growth, or emotional challenges).
Research by Azziz et al (2025) concluded that women who experienced childhood abuse may exhibit more features of PCOS, whilst Joham et al. (2020), a population-based study, discovered that women with a PCOS diagnosis reported more adverse childhood experiences and mental health challenges.
A third systematic review of multiple studies conducted by Mishra et al. (2024) synthesised findings to associate childhood trauma with increased risk of several gynaecological conditions, including PCOS. However it’s important to note again that these connections may not be causal.”
Interesting. So whilst there are clearly links between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and gynae conditions, more research needs to be done to identify whether it’s trauma alone that causes this link.
Lots of people talk about ‘types’ of PCOS, which can be a little controversial. Some people support it and some don’t, but we do know that different hormones cause different symptoms, which can help to build a picture. Hormonal blood test results help to show us which hormones are running the show and, therefore, how your PCOS is operating. I know from mine, for example, that my adrenal glands are the problem, and that my elevated levels of all the wrong hormones seem to be coming from there; another interesting nod towards the links between trauma, stress and PCOS.
What is adrenal PCOS?
“The most common form of PCOS is insulin-resistant PCOS (affecting around 70% of diagnosed cases),” explained Dr Cecilia. “Adrenal PCOS, less common, is characterised by the overproduction of androgens by the adrenal glands, which often causes excessive hair growth, acne, and irregular menstrual periods. It’s distinguished from other phenotypes of PCOS as it is not driven by insulin resistance or inflammation.”
So whilst many of the symptoms are the same between PCOS ‘types’, the drivers can be different. Our adrenals are in charge of managing the body’s stress response, and over activity can result in overproduction of androgenic hormones – hello from me and my moustache.
Many PCOS treatments are the same across these types, so it doesn’t actually matter too much when you think about it that way – but it does emphasise the correlation between the body’s stress response and developing PCOS.
Maybe, one day, there will be more research into causes of PCOS that aren’t just insulin resistance – the one that gets the blame for everything. For at least some of us adrenal types, it would appear there may be more going on.
I am 27 and was recently diagnosed with lean PCOS and I've been trying to figure out what caused it in my body. I eat vegan and mostly whole foods, I am at a healthy bmi, I am active, I sleep well, I take good care of myself, go to therapy, yet I suffer from some acne (it used to be worse) and irregular cycles as well as have had an ovarian cyst/ have poly cystic ovaries. I have been racking my brain trying to figure out what's the root of all of this until I read articles about the possible link between childhood trauma and PCOS. I do have some sexual trauma from when I was young and was raised in a turbulent household and I sometimes feel like my body is so easily stressed and inflamed. I also have PTSD. My coworker who was also recently diagnosed with PCOS also has a significant number of similar traumas. Needless to say, this link seems to make a lot of sense to me and I'm glad more people are looking into it!