PCOS and the diabetes connection
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome shares the insulin resistance axis with Type 2. Why early metabolic screening in women with PCOS pays off.
PCOS and Type 2 diabetes share a common engine: insulin resistance.
The link
Women with PCOS have 4-7x higher lifetime risk of Type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance drives both ovarian dysfunction and metabolic complications.
Early screening
Women diagnosed with PCOS should have baseline HbA1c or OGTT, repeated every 1-2 years. Lifestyle interventions that help PCOS (weight management, exercise, low-GI eating) directly reduce diabetes risk.
Metformin role
Metformin is sometimes prescribed for PCOS even before diabetes develops, leveraging its insulin-sensitising effects. Always a clinician's call.