The question, “What’s wrong with my body?” is vast. It is a general question for queries about everything wrong within the human body. For women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), this question has lingered for years. All the years of misdiagnosis, stigma, and stereotypes crashing down to the starting point - a question. 

What is PCOS? It is a hormonal condition that affects women of reproductive age. Although it affects one in ten people, the cause of PCOS is unknown. The only known fact about this condition is that it starts in the ovaries, and most likely, it also ends in the same position. 

The frustration of sudden weight gain, the anxiety of missed periods, the insecurity of growing excessive hair on the chest, stomach, and back, along with the dreadful thought that infertility might just have chosen you as its next victim. These are the symptoms that make up PCOS. An overwhelming list of effects, yet society still chooses to downplay a patient’s struggles. 

The lack of research, support, and governmental funding for PCOS is alarming, yet no one seems to bat an eye, leading most women to seek answers for themselves.

As the years progress, it is time to recognize PCOS as a condition that affects women. Not only physically, but emotionally. PCOS is more than just a hormonal imbalance;  it is a serious health issue that needs to be addressed. The government should provide affordable plans for PCOS, as there are public hospitals for cancer and tuberculosis. Healthcare providers must be attentive to the signs of PCOS and give early diagnoses for treatment, just as is done for fevers and coughs. Society must learn to foster a safe place for women to openly ask for help with PCOS as a health condition. There is a need for a society that has an environment wherein patients are not afraid to speak about their condition. It is time for the Philippines to empower PCOS patients to share their experiences and not to be frowned upon, stereotyped, or tossed inside a box. 

It is time to give an answer to that lingering question.

 “What’s wrong with my body?”  PCOS is no flaw, and it is time for us to break the stigma.