Incidence of Autoimmune Diseases in 30,340 Danish Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Compared to 151,520 Controls. A National Cohort Study.

Summary: Imagine your body's defense system gets confused and attacks itself. This is called an autoimmune disease. Doctors looked at health records for over 180,000 women in Denmark. They found that women who have a condition called PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) are much more likely to get autoimmune diseases, like Type 1 diabetes and thyroid issues. In fact, the overall risk is about 50% higher for women with PCOS compared to women without it. This higher risk is present even before they find out they have PCOS. Women with PCOS who also have a higher body weight, other health issues, or lower incomes face an even greater risk.