Psychiatric Comorbidities among Indian Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) has been associated with significant psychological distress. Early identification of mental health consequences may expedite early intervention and improve overall health among women with PCOS. The current scoping review focuses on the prevalence and factors influencing psychiatric morbidity among Indian women with PCOS. Arksey and O’Malley’s framework for conducting scoping reviews was used. We examined the published literature on the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among Indian women with a clinical or biochemical diagnosis of PCOS from 2001 to 2021 using appropriate keywords in the PubMed and Google Scholar search engines. Case reports, review articles, and guidelines were excluded. We then collated and summarized the data from the selected studies. Of the 45 studies found, 11 studies were included in the review. Most of the studies were done in the hospital setting, except for one study conducted in the school setting. The Rotterdam 2003 criteria were the most used diagnostic criteria for PCOS. All studies except one used screening instruments for assessing psychiatric morbidity. Depression (11%–93%) and anxiety (15%–100%) were the most common psychiatric comorbidities. The presence of acne predicted depression and the presence of alopecia and infertility increased the risk of anxiety among women with PCOS. High rates of depression and anxiety with a wide range of prevalence were seen among Indian women with PCOS. Future studies should assess psychiatric morbidity using structured diagnostic instruments in the community sample.

Keywords

• anxiety
• depression
• india
• polycystic ovarian syndrome
• psychiatric disorders