Introduction: Why I Chose PCOS

“Why are so many young women around me experiencing irregular cycles, acne, hair loss, and weight gain?”

I’ve seen several friends and cousins in their late teens and twenties receive PCOS diagnoses. This got me thinking:

  • 🌱 Is it lifestyle-driven?
  • 🧠 Could awareness of early patterns help prevent it?

💡 This project allowed me to explore these questions using data and visual storytelling.

Problem Statement

🔬 What is PCOS?
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome affects 1 in 10 women globally - Often goes undiagnosed due to its diverse symptoms - Requires a combination of clinical, hormonal, and lifestyle markers for diagnosis

🎯 Goal of this Project - Use open data to uncover hidden patterns behind PCOS - Understand symptom trends, risk factors, and predictive features

The Dataset

📂 Source:
Kaggle PCOS Dataset

📊 Sample Size:
541 women

🔍 Features (42 total): - 🧪 Clinical: BMI, LH, FSH, AMH, BP, weight, height
- 🏃‍♀️ Lifestyle: Fast food consumption, physical activity
- 💬 Subjective symptoms: Acne, hair loss, irregular periods

🎯 Target Variable:
PCOS (Y/N)

PCOS vs Symptom Markers

Key Insights

  • 📌 Weight gain, excess hair growth, and skin darkening
    are highly prominent among women diagnosed with PCOS.

  • 🪞 These features may act as early visual markers for detection.

  • ⚠️ Pimples and hair loss are also common but show slightly less contrast between diagnosed and non-diagnosed groups.

  • 🔍 Recognizing these patterns can support earlier screening and timely intervention.

Lifestyle Factors: Fast Food & Exercise

Key Insights: Lifestyle & PCOS Risk

  • 🍔 A high intake of fast food is a strong contributor to PCOS risk.

  • 🧾 Around 51% of women with PCOS report
    frequent fast food consumption combined with no exercise.

  • 🏃‍♀️ Exercise appears to slightly offset the negative effects of poor diet.

  • 💡 A smaller group (~26%) with PCOS fall under
    the “no fast food + regular exercise” category —
    potentially indicating lifestyle improvement or late diagnosis.

BMI and PCOS Risk

Key Insights: BMI and PCOS

  • ⚖️ More than 50% of women diagnosed with PCOS fall under the obese category.

  • 📈 A significant portion of the remaining women are overweight, indicating a broader weight-related trend.

  • 🚨 This clearly suggests that increased BMI is a major risk marker for PCOS.

  • 🧭 BMI can serve as a crucial early warning signal for screening and preventive lifestyle intervention.

Hormone Patterns: LH and FSH Levels

Key Insights: Hormonal Levels (LH & FSH)

  • 🧪 Women with PCOS tend to have higher LH levels,
    while FSH remains relatively stable or slightly lower.

  • ⚠️ However, the difference is not strongly pronounced,
    making it an unreliable standalone marker.

  • 🔄 Hormone levels naturally fluctuate across the menstrual cycle —
    accurate comparison requires testing on specific days (typically Day 2 or Day 3).

  • 🧬 Thus, LH and FSH levels are not sufficient for diagnosis alone,
    unless measured under standardized conditions.

Conclusion: Listen to Your Body — PCOS Is Not Just a Diagnosis

  • 🌿 PCOS is a lifestyle-linked condition, not just a hormonal disorder.
    It reflects how our daily habits — diet, exercise, and stress — shape our long-term health.

  • 🧩 The visible symptoms — acne, weight gain, irregular cycles, hair loss —
    are more than cosmetic concerns. They are early signals from the body asking for attention.

  • 📊 Data reveals that fast food intake, lack of physical activity, and weight gain
    are consistently associated with higher PCOS risk.
    ✅ These are modifiable factors — and that’s what makes this empowering.

✨ Awareness is the first step toward prevention and better care.

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