Increased Prevalence of Depression in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common endocrine disorder in women of childbearing age, has a prevalence of 6 to 7 percent. Previous studies have shown that depressive mood disorders in this group is more than other women of similar ages. The purpose of this study was to compare the rate of depression in this group to women without the condition. In these cross-sectional analytic study, 71 patients with PCOS diagnosed by Rotterdam criteria, were selected after an initial survey conducted to determine demographic characteristic, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and reproductive status, following which the Beck 2 depression questionnaire was used to assess depression in both groups. The study of 134 of PCOS and controls. The average Beck 2 score number in patients was 16.01(±10.8) and in the control group was 11.56 (±8.8), p-value=0.003, which was statistically significant. Frequency of moderate to severe depressed mood based on Beck 2 criteria in the patient group was 23 (32.4%) and in the control group was 19 (14.2%), difference statistically significant, p-value=0.002. The prevalence of depression in patients with PCOS is more than in normal women, and should be kept in mind in the follow up of these patients.