Women with PCOS are at 47% greater risk of death than their peers without the condition

The researchers matched the study's controls based on where they lived and their birth year. The researchers included the records of 9,839 women with PCOS and 70,705 controls for the study.

The authors reported the following findings:

• Of the studied population, 1,003 controls and 177 women with PCOS died during the follow-up period, spanning the years 1969-2019.
• In an additional analysis, the women with PCOS had an increased risk for death and a greater risk for death due to tumours and nutrition, endocrine, metabolic diseases and cardiovascular disease.
• Mortality was also increased among women with PCOS due to disease of the cardiovascular system and tumours.
• Circulatory system disease, diabetes and bronchitis increased mortality among women with PCOS.
• Women with PCOS had a 47 percent higher risk for overall mortality than control women. The mortality due to diseases of the cardiovascular system was increased by 67 percent, and mortality due to tumours by 38 percent compared to the control group.
• Women with PCOS also had triple the risk of death due to lung infection and diabetes.

"Our findings suggest women with PCOS died significantly younger than the controls," the researchers wrote.

"PCOS is a severe lifelong syndrome that raises mortality," the researchers concluded. "More resources should be targeted on the prevention of PCOS-related diseases."