• Posted July 27, 2026

Ovarian Syndrome Quadruples Heart Disease Risk In Women, Major Study Concludes

Young women suffering from an ovary-related hormone condition might be living with a higher risk of heart attack or stroke, a new large-scale study says.

Women with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) had more than quadrupled risk of heart disease caused by clogged and hardened arteries, researchers reported recently in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women’s Health.

They also had an elevated risk of heart attack, stroke and other heart-related conditions, results show.

“Our work shows that it is imperative for clinicians to closely track and evaluate cardiovascular health in patients with PMOS,” said senior author Dr. Anuja Dokras, director of the Penn Polyendrocine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome Center in Philadelphia.

“It is also important for all individuals with PMOS to care for their heart health and control other factors that can lead to poor cardiovascular health, including smoking, inactivity, obesity, high LDL cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure,” Dokras added in a news release.

PMOS is a female hormone disorder that interferes with ovulation, causing cysts to form in the ovaries.  These cysts generate male hormones called androgens, interfering with fertility and potentially contributing to other health issues.

About 10% to 13% of women of child-bearing age have PMOS, researchers said in background notes. However, as many as 7 of 10 women with PMOS aren’t aware they have it.

For this new study, researchers compiled data from more than 2.4 million women ages 18 to 50, including more than 413,000 diagnosed with PMOS. The data ran from 2000 to 2022.

Results showed that women with PMOS had a:

• 4.4 times higher risk of heart disease due to clogged arteries

• 3.5 times higher risk of heart attack or stroke

• Nearly 5 times higher odds of a transient ischemic attack, a warning sign of a potential future stroke

• Nearly 5 times higher odds of peripheral artery disease, a narrowing or blockage of arteries in the extremities

High blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes were found to be significant risk factors for heart disease among women with PMOS, researchers said.

PMOS had been known as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), but earlier this year health experts agreed to change the condition’s name to better reflect its nature, researchers said.

“While the word polycystic was a misnomer, the effects of PMOS extend far beyond gynecologic health, as we show in our new research,” Dokras said. 

“The new name itself signals the impact of multiple hormones of the endocrine system, and we hope it allows clinicians to offer more comprehensive care,” she added.

More information

The Mayo Clinic has more on polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome.

SOURCES: University of Pennsylvania, news release, July 20, 2026; The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology and & Women’s Health, July 20, 2026