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Claim: Twitter user Nwoke Enugu alleged about 70% of women suffer from PCOS and linked this to the use of Postinor-2.
Verdict: False. Available studies and experts show that the claim that 70% of women suffer from PCOS is misleading, while the claim that the birth control pill Postinor-2 leads to PCOS is false.
Full Text
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition in which the ovaries produce an abnormal amount of androgens, which are male sex hormones and are usually supposed to be present in women in a small proportion. Polycystic ovary syndrome describes several small cysts (fluid-filled sacs) forming in the ovaries.
According to an article in the Health Library, PCOS is caused by imbalanced hormones. What causes the imbalance has yet to be fully understood, but genetics may be a factor. PCOS seems to run in families, and the chance of a woman having it is higher if it runs in her family or the family is predisposed to diabetes. The symptoms as described in the article may include irregular periods or very light periods, nonspecific pain in the lower abdomen due to large ovaries with cysts, excess body hair, including the face, chest, stomach, and back (hirsutism), weight gain especially around the belly (abdomen), Acne or oily skin, infertility, small pieces of excess skin on the neck or armpits (skin tags), and dark or thick skin areas of patches on the back of the neck, in the armpits, and under the breasts.
PCOS is diagnosed using its symptoms and laboratory investigations including ultrasounds.
An X user, Nwoke Enugu, shared a post on March 12, 2024, suggesting a relationship between Postinor and PCOS. According to his post, about seventy per cent of women have PCOS. He went on to state in the post that the human body was intelligent and women should not take Postinor (a birth control pill) and traditional medicine that aids abortion and not expect repercussions. He concluded by saying if you do not want a child, your customer/ man should use a condom or pull out.
As of March 12, 2024, the post had garnered 325,000 views, 752 reposts, 99 replies, 62 likes, and 71 bookmarks.
Because this is a health issue involving statistics, DUBAWA chose to fact-check these claims.
Verification
Claim 1: 70% of women suffer from
Verdict: Misleading
According to the World Health Organization PCOS affects an estimated 8 to 13% of women of reproductive age. This report by the WHO also revealed that up to 70% of cases are undiagnosed. This means that in every 100 women, approximately 8 to 13 of them may suffer from PCOS.
A study in Nigeria reported the prevalence of PCOS as 18.1% and 12.2%, respectively. The study was based on the Rotterdam criteria defined by the presence of two or three criteria: oligo-anovulation, hyperandrogenism and polycystic ovaries.
Nafisat Yusuf, a registrar in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at National Hospital Abuja, who spoke to DUBAWA, said that because of the difference in the diagnostic criteria employed, prevalence estimates vary widely, ranging from 2.2% to as high as 26%. She, however, noted that the claim that 70% of women suffer from PCOS is not correct.
She said two studies in Nigeria reported the prevalence of PCOS as 18.1% and 12.2%, respectively, so claiming that 70% of women suffer from PCOS is incorrect.
Another gynaecologist and senior registrar at the National Hospital Abuja, Jeremiah Agim, corroborated Ms Yusuf’s insight into the claim that the 70% PCOS prevalence claim was exaggerated. He said from studies in Nigeria, the prevalence is around 12 to 27%. Buttressing the claim by the WHO, he said that PCOS is prevalent in 8 to 13% of women.
Mr Agim broached the claim by saying that, as doctors, they do not see many patients with PCOS at the clinic with the complaint. So, the claim that seventy percent of women suffer from PCOS is bogus. He concludes by saying that contraceptive pills are, in most cases, used to treat PCOS and that the exact cause is not yet known, but PCOS has genetic components.
Claim 2: Usage of Postinor leads to PCOS.
Verdict: False
Postinor-2 is known as an emergency contraceptive used to prevent pregnancy when taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse. Postinor-2 is reported to avoid 85% of expected pregnancies. 95% of expected pregnancies can be prevented if Postinor-2 is taken within the first 24 hours, declining to 58% if taken between 48 hours and seventy-two hours after unprotected sexual intercourse.
According to Healthline, a leading health blog, the birth control pill does not cause PCOS but does the opposite. Birth control pills are typically used to help treat symptoms of PCOS.
Additionally, an article in Lloyds pharmacy online states that progestogen-only pill (or mini-pill) is a form of birth control taken by mouth each day to prevent pregnancy. It contains progestin, a man-made (synthetic) version of the hormone progesterone. The contraceptive may help regulate periods and may also help manage the symptoms of PCOS.
Yusuf said that Postinor-2 is high in doses of progestin that delay ovulation to prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse close to ovulation. This can cause menstrual irregularities and prolong the cycle, which may be confused with the long cycle duration of PCOS. She clarified that Postinor-2 does not cause PCOS, and the increase in cycle length is only temporary unless the person continues to use it
Agim also agrees with her, noting PCOS is not caused by contraceptive pills but is used to treat PCOS.
Conclusion
Our findings show that the first claim is misleading while the second is false. Experts say that 1 in 18 women have PCOS, and taking Postinor-2 does not lead to PCOS which, instead, relieves the symptom.
The researcher produced this fact-check per the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame Karikari Fellowship, in partnership with Premium Times / UNILAG, to enrich the ethos of “truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country.
