September 4th, 2024 | 15 min. read
While being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and navigating its symptoms can feel isolating, we’re here to reassure you that you're not alone. Here are just a few of the celebrities with PCOS who are using their platforms to raise awareness for the condition.
In this article:
What is PCOS?
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age. In fact, up to 15% of women have PCOS. But the condition doesn't only affect women of reproductive age - it can impact life far beyond these years, stretching into menopause and increasing the risk of other serious health issues.
It is also important to note that PCOS can affect anyone assigned female at birth - meaning that trans men, queer, and non-binary folks who don't identify as female can still struggle with the condition. Excluding them from the narrative can lead to delayed diagnoses, reduced awareness, and compounding health issues.
While public conversations around PCOS are slowly (but steadily) increasing, knowing the signs to look out for and how to advocate for yourself remain critical.
Common Symptoms of PCOS
Although the condition affects everyone differently, PCOS symptoms often include:
- Irregular or prolonged periods
- Hair loss and/or unwanted hair growth
- Elevated androgen levels (i.e. "male" hormones)
- Enlarged ovaries containing many follicles
- Cystic acne
- Chronic fatigue
- Insomnia
Take action now: If you suspect (or know) you have PCOS, reach out to an expert to get support in achieving your goals - whether you're trying to conceive or simply want to improve your overall health.
Celebrities With PCOS Speak Out
While it may be common, living with PCOS is no easy task! As you'll learn from the following celebrity accounts, even people whose lives seem wildly glamorous are often managing their PCOS symptoms just like you. The truth is, PCOS doesn’t discriminate. It simply doesn't care how much money you have or how many Oscars are on your shelf.
With that in mind, we’ve assembled a vocal squad of celebrities who are managing their PCOS symptoms while living in the spotlight - using their platform to bring awareness to this often misunderstood condition.
Through these shared experiences and insights, you may find some fresh perspectives about ways to conquer your own symptoms (and even increase your chances of conceiving in the process).
A Note On Lean PCOS
Many of the following celebs appear to have what's referred to as 'lean PCOS,' which is the term applied to PCOS patients who don't necessarily struggle with weight gain, but still experience the condition's other symptoms. Up to 30% of PCOS patients fall into this category.
Lea Michele
The Glee star has opened up about being diagnosed with PCOS after experiencing severe acne and fluctuating weight. "The side effects [of PCOS] can be brutal — like weight gain and bad skin," Michele shared. "I went to a great doctor, and the minute she looked at me, she was like, 'Oh, you have PCOS.' It explained everything."
With PCOS causing such a wide array of symptoms, many patients initially try to solve them in isolation. It's hard to see that it’s all connected until we have that "A-ha!" moment with our doctor. So while receiving a PCOS diagnosis may not be happy news, it at least helps to explain the connection between the various health issues you may be struggling with.
"Through diet, I have been able to manage my symptoms, but I am very fortunate," Michele adds. "There are way more extreme versions of PCOS that women have a lot of difficulty with — mine is not as intense. It's why I haven’t really talked about it, because there are women who have it so much worse."
Avoid comparisons: Just as no two people are alike, everyone's experience with PCOS is unique. Try not to compare symptoms with others, and remember that your journey is just as valid (and likely, just as challenging) as someone else's.
Sasha Pieterse
The Pretty Little Liars star has been honest about her struggles with PCOS and the fears that frequently come along with it.
With infertility being a major concern for those with PCOS, Sasha Pieterse and her husband, Hudson Scheaffer, were worried they were going to have difficulty getting pregnant. However, much to their surprise, even with PCOS, the couple conceived relatively easily.
Pieterse told People Magazine, "Just the fact that we were able to get pregnant was such a blessing because with PCOS, that made me nervous. A lot of women have infertility issues, so we were expecting more difficulty...it's been an absolute blessing that we were able to just get pregnant by ourselves."
Does PCOS cause infertility? As evidenced by the story above, not all women with the condition will struggle to conceive! If you're anxious about your own fertility, let Pieterse's story encourage you. And for those who do end up struggling to conceive with PCOS, there are various effective treatment options to help you.
Want PCOS snack ideas?
Learn how to nourish your body in a PCOS-friendly way with these simple, yummy snack ideas from Illume nutritionist Jill Hickey.
Jillian Michaels
The fitness queen has never been shy when it comes to talking about her health. Michaels keeps her PCOS in check (not surprisingly) with exercise and diet. When asked about her fertility struggles, Jillian opened up to Redbook about the realities of living with the condition.
"Turns out, I had PCOS, but at a young age, I didn't know if I wanted kids, so I didn't really care. Then I got older, and I watched friends go through IVF, with years of hormones and devastation and disappointment. I remember thinking, God wants something different for me," recalled Michaels. "If I choose to pursue this path, I'll adopt. And when I was finally ready to go for it, I thought, this is going to be so easy. I had no idea."
Michaels expanded her family through international adoption in 2012, welcoming home a 2-year old daughter just days after her partner gave birth to their son.
Most people don’t really think about the possibility of being infertile until it’s already causing a problem. Even more ironically, some focus so intensely on not becoming pregnant for most of their lives only to find out it’s not as easy as they thought when they're actually ready to start a family.
Daisy Ridley
Turns out the Star Wars actress is just as much of a warrior offscreen. In a world of highly-filtered social media posts, Ridley has been transparent on Instagram about her struggles with severe acne due to PCOS:
"My skin was THE WORST - I've tried everything: products, antibiotics, more products, more antibiotics, and all that did was left my body in a bit of a mess. Finally found out I have polycystic ovaries and that's why it's bad. I can safely say that feeling so self-conscious has left my confidence in tatters. I hate wearing makeup, but I currently don't want to leave the house without it on," she admitted.
As she learned more about how to reduce her PCOS symptoms, the star urged others to seek professional support managing the condition: "From the top of your head to the tips of your toes, we only have one body, let us all make sure ours are working in tip top condition, and take help if it's needed."
Knowledge is power: Receiving a PCOS diagnosis can be surprisingly hopeful! Once you understand what's going on in your body, you can start to explore treatment options and make helpful lifestyle changes.
Victoria Beckham
The British mother of four has been open about her PCOS diagnosis, irregular periods, and struggles with infertility for many years. But being in the public eye certainly didn’t help the beloved Spice Girl when she and soccer star David Beckham were grappling with the stress of trying to conceive.
"I [was] really feeling the pressure," Beckham said at the time. "Every time I go out, someone says to me: 'Are you pregnant?' At first, I tried to dodge these questions with a vague response and a smile, but now, I have resorted to overt, brutal honesty."
"I keep that big smile and say something like, 'Actually, I’m struggling with infertility because of my PCOS, so my husband and I have been through several fertility treatments. No baby yet, but it’ll happen soon!'"
The couple went on to have four healthy children.
Remember: You always get to choose how much you want to share, whether you're navigating PCOS, infertility, or another health challenge. Sometimes, honesty really is the best policy - if you're comfortable sharing candidly, of course.
Jaime King
Actress and entrepreneur Jaime King has also been candid about her struggles with infertility: "For all the struggling women out there that think they are alone – this is the truth about conceiving my son and struggles after," she shared on Instagram. "I went through eight years of pain from undiagnosed PCOS and endometriosis; I had to see nine doctors before I was properly diagnosed."
King credits the doctor who diagnosed her with saving her life from a dangerous ectopic pregnancy, as well as helping her find success with fertility treatment after five miscarriages, five rounds of IVF, 26 IUI cycles, and 4½ years of trying to conceive.
"I lost my first baby at age 20, and then I continued to miscarry and miscarry," she added. "It took so many years for me to have my first child, and when I was going through it, I cannot explain what it felt like — it was like this one thing we’re told as women is our gift, that we can carry life, all of a sudden someone says, 'Oh, maybe that's now in question.'"
If you’re reading this, you can likely relate to having your world rocked with a PCOS diagnosis, struggling with infertility, or experiencing a miscarriage - maybe even all of the above. Whatever it is, you’re not alone.
Trying to conceive? The good news is that PCOS patients typically respond well to fertility treatment, and the majority go on to have healthy, successful pregnancies.
Emma Thompson
The Oscar-winning actress has proven that you can achieve great things while living with PCOS and clinical depression. After struggling with infertility, Thompson underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF) to help conceive her daughter, Gaia.
Several additional rounds of IVF later, Emma and her husband found they couldn’t conceive another child. They decided to adopt a son, Tindy, and found great joy in him joining their family. But it didn't magically erase the heartache of infertility or all the time Thompson spent trying to conceive.
"For years, I counted people's children in the street and thought I'd never recover," she shared in an interview with The Telegraph. "But you do, of course." Fertility jealousy is a real thing, and not something to feel embarrassed or guilty about. It can be incredibly painful to see other families growing when you're not able to do the same.
Learn to thrive with PCOS:
This comprehensive guide to life with PCOS includes helpful information about PCOS and fertility, meal planning worksheets, exercise tips, and much more.
Harnaam Kaur
Model, activist, and Guinness Book World Record holder Harnaam Kaur rocks a full beard as a result of PCOS. She has upheld a commitment to letting her hair grow out in accordance with religious beliefs and has been hailed a body positive heroine.
"I had no idea what PCOS was - my doctor said, 'This is what you have,' and that was all I knew," said Kaur. "At first, I thought I was dying of a very rare disease because nobody in the media spoke about it! Growing up, I found out that Victoria Beckham has the same condition as me, but there I was feeling like I was suffering from something that was super rare."
She continued, "My message to other women suffering from the same condition would be do not suffer in silence. Always speak up about it and talk to a doctor about how to treat your symptoms. The thing with PCOS is that it also affects women emotionally, and again, it's important to talk about your feelings. If you are being body-shamed, then do not take it. You need to find self-love. You need to change your thought process and you will flourish both internally and externally."
After being bullied and dealing with mental health issues in her younger years, Kaur learned to celebrate her uniqueness: "I have realized that this body is mine," she said. "I own it, I do not have any other body to live in, so I may as well love it unconditionally."
A note on mental health: Research has shown that anxiety and depression are both associated with PCOS. Do frequent check-ins with yourself and don't wait to address issues when they arise. Your emotional health and physical health are equally important.
Jools Oliver
The children’s book author, model, and wife of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has been open about her experiences with pregnancy loss and living with PCOS. She is now the mother of three daughters, proving that PCOS does not mean a lifetime of infertility.
"Even when I was 17, I thought there might be a problem and that I’d have trouble conceiving because my periods were irregular," explained Oliver. "I was quite quickly diagnosed with PCOS, which meant that I wasn’t ovulating each month like normal."
Know the signs: Irregular periods are a sure sign of ovulation issues. It’s one of the three signifiers for PCOS – the other two being high androgens (male hormones) and cystic-appearing ovaries. These three factors are known as the Rotterdam Criteria, which doctors use to diagnose PCOS.
Maci Deshane Bookout
MTV’s Teen Mom star has been open with her PCOS struggles, both on and off the popular reality show. In one episode, Bookout explained that she often went months without having her period and then would bleed for a month straight. "It’s the worst pain ever - it’s terrible," she said. "Sometimes I’m like, if I didn’t have PCOS, then maybe I wouldn’t have been so irritable with my children today."
Bookout opened up to Allara Health about what has helped her on her journey: "PCOS can feel really lonely at times, so making connections in the PCOS community will help you feel like people have your back."
But she wasn't always such a strong advocate, admitting that she used to try and dismiss her worrisome symptoms: "It eventually got to the stage where I just couldn’t ignore what my body was telling me everyday," she said. "My PCOS was strongly impacting my health, wellbeing, and overall life: I had to take action."
As many newly diagnosed PCOS patients discover, it can be challenging to find reputable, evidence-based information and research regarding treatment and managing symptoms.
"Since I already had a following through my MTV appearances, I decided to use that same platform to share my PCOS experience," Bookout said. "I knew that I couldn’t be the only one going through something like this, and I was right - since then, so many women have reached out with similar stories."
Taking action: The reality star has met with Tennessee representatives to advocate for bills funding PCOS research, championed the efforts of organizations like PCOS Challenge, and continued to speak out in the media to help raise awareness.
Rebecca Atkinson
The Shameless star hasn’t stayed quiet about her struggle with PCOS and credits a makeup artist’s advice to visit the doctor after experiencing irregular periods and acne.
"Horrendous big boils suddenly started appearing along my jawline - they were red, swollen and really painful," shared Atkinson. "I’d always suffered irregular periods, sometimes as long as nine months in between, but it never worried me."
The actress now manages her symptoms primarily with nutrition changes. "I used to skip meals and just eat cornflakes at night, because I’m not bothered about food. Now I have a little bit of everything, but not too much fat or carbs. I rarely eat wheat, and don’t eat fried foods or much sugar. I feel really well."
Each PCOS patient's needs are different - so while one person may find it helpful to cut out certain foods or eat a specific way, that doesn't mean it'll be right for you. We encourage you to work with a PCOS-savvy dietitian to ensure you're getting all the nutrients you need and not being too restrictive.
Did you know? Lifestyle changes around food and exercise are a great way to improve your PCOS symptoms, whether you suffer from acne, hirsutism, anxiety, or one of the many other side effects of this challenging condition.
PCOS Myths vs. Facts
There's a lot of misinformation out there about PCOS and how to manage it. In this guide, nutritionist Jenn Walsh combats some of the biggest myths with facts.
Think you might have PCOS?
Here are some good next steps to take so you can get the support you need to manage the condition, reduce your symptoms, and decrease any related health risks.
- Schedule a consultation with an endocrinologist
- Download our free eBook, Your Guide to Life with PCOS
- Learn how to eat and exercise for PCOS
- Explore PCOS resources like patient stories, videos, and articles
The Common Thread of PCOS
While the PCOS club isn't one you ever wanted to be a part of, it can be comforting to be in the company of successful, talented people like Emma Thompson, Daisy Ridley, and so many others. Hearing these different celebrities' PCOS stories and knowing your own PCOS journey is proof that everyone experiences the condition in a truly unique way.
No two stories are the same, but the emotions and struggles associated with them are familiar across the board. It turns out that being in this particular "cysterhood" may be more unifying than you initially thought.
By educating yourself, finding knowledgeable healthcare providers, and reaching out for emotional support, you will be well on your way to not only surviving, but thriving with PCOS.
Do I have PCOS?
Take this short quiz for a free assessment of your symptoms and what to do next.
