I would not be surprised if my mom had it. She and my dad tried for a baby for 6 years before they had me (though she was thin back then) and for many years after with no luck. She had the telltale apple shape and obesity in later years and thinning hair and wonky periods.

No one in my family has PCOS, but I have 3 aunts who had infertility and or miscarriages. I think it's like anything regarding genetics, just because one person has a certain trait doesn't mean everyone in their family will have the same trait. That being said, I really hope my daughter is never affected by PCOS, infertility, or pregnancy loss.

Infertility and miscarriages are all signs of PCOS... so most likely they also had it. If they had any labwoork done, they would most like ly find the signs in the labs. Also if they were later on diagnosed with breast cancer, endometriosis(sp), diabetes, or heart disease/attacks... then they definitely had/have it because that is what PCOS can lead to if left untreated.

My mother was always thin because she has crohns disease. However, a few years ago she told me that she ended up in the hospital because of one of her ovaries. Turned out that she had a huge cyst growing on it and they had to remove it. Still she got pregnant with me just fine. In fact, everyone in my family is so fertile it's scary. I still don't think that I'll have the same luck as them though. As far as I know it is only me who has PCOS, my mother just had cysts. No one else in my family presents any symptoms.

I have heard the same thing but in my famliy I'm the only one with it and no one has even heard of it until I talked about it. My mom did and still does have other womenly issues and ended up having a historectomy . My aunt had a historectomy when she was in her 20's due to cancer. My grandma had womenly issues as well I believe and not for certain but I believe she has a historectomy as well. So although I am the only one with PCOS it seems that women issues run in the family.
Also I dont know of anyone in my family that has ever had issue conceiving, incuding me. I dont know if it was because during the 4 years of no periods I just didnt care to have another child or what but I never went thru the TTC thing. With my son we just timed it right after my first period in 4 years and for my youngest I was on nuva ring after having my son and it kept me regular, when I stopped that we got pregnant with my youngest. I also wasnt as big then as I am now. I think I was 235 pounds with my youngest 2 kids.

ETA: Oh and also, another reason I feel it may be genetic is that my 10 yo DD is starting to show signs. I will be having her tested soon once I find a doc that I feel comfortable with, right now she has a young male doctor.

I think a lot of people just assume its a problem with conceiving and don't put into play the other symptoms.. PCOS is based off of symptoms and there is not test to say you have it or you don't.. There was not and even now is limited doctors with great education on it. My mom has/had endometriosis and was always just told that's all it was but upon me asking questions she always had cysts. To me that would imply she initially had PCOS symptoms at one time. My sister is what I would consider undiagnosed mainly b/c she correlates it to me (infertility problems) where she does not have them.. But she clearly has IR and weight issues. I just think there is a lack of education among the communities including doctors to were people are ok with the answer of "your just over weight" or "you just need to be on the pill"... I'm willing to bet the numbers would rise of PCOS patients if people understood how to be their own advocate more and not fall victim to the under educated physician's out there.

Personally I think I have my mom, sister and 1 aunt with PCOS.

My only sibling has PCOS, but my mother does not. My dad is extremely insulin resistant along with his siblings, and we believe that it is genetic.

I am the only girl in my family but I have talked to my mom about her possibly having PCOS...I am fortunate enough to not have all the symptoms of PCOS...I found out after having a miscarriage - they needed to make sure it was a full miscarriage with the ultrasound and when they did they found the "strand of pearls"...my mom never had pregnancy issues like i have had so she has always said she didn't have it - but both of our periods have NEVER been regular...we never went a couple months without having one but it would always come at a random time (sometimes at 3 weeks and then it would come 5 weeks later)...it is also difficult for us to lose weight but neither one of us are morbidly obese...now that mom is in her 60's she is now being tested for possible diabetes...which I have learned that it goes hand in hand with PCOS...do thyroid issues go with PCOS.??

I def agree that it is important to go to a doctor that knows about PCOS - even now when I go to a new doctor - I tell them I have PCOS and they try to argue with me because I don't show ALL of the symptoms...I feel very very fortunate to have gone to some great doctors (we move around a lot) - especially with my second child because if I hadn't - I don't know that my second child would be here - luckily my doctor knew to test my blood during the first tri because my body stopped making progesterone and I had to start taking the gel...

I have no idea where any of my issues come from. No one in my family has ever had PCOS or any fertility issues. I am the first and only one.

I think it could very well be in the genes, I have 4 maternal aunts and all of them never had problems coneiving as a matter of fact I have 10 first cousins from my moms side alone, and 4 half maternal cousins ( I have more paternal cousins too) But the interesting thing is that although none of my aunts and my mom or my sisters have infertility/pcos, there is t one girl cousin from each aunt who does have PCOS! Crazy, I think it may skip generations...

does anyone of u suffering from pcos avoid metformin or any similar kind of drug?......... since i am suffering from pcos but have not taken any sort of medication....... would like to know whether it is possible to loose weight without those medication?........ having trouble loosing weight

I love my metformin! It balanced me out mentally! I also have to eat a low carb/diabetic diet to keep the balance. It is still hard to lose weight, but now it is feasible because of the Metformin. Don't avoid the meds for this condition, seek treatment because as you get older, the problems only get worse. And not just weigh gain. Diabetes, breast cancer, and heart disease have all been linked with PCOS/insulin resistance.

My sister swears my the spirolactone, she says that is what helps her stay skinny.

I have no idea where any of my issues come from. No one in my family has ever had PCOS or any fertility issues. I am the first and only one.

I'm the same way, and my family especially my mom don't know how to handle my emotions with trying to concieve.

Mine either.

First and only, go figure --- I have a HUGE extended family. All my cousins = fertile as can be to top it off !

Nobody else in my family has been diagnosed with it however, I think my mom has it. She has several of the physical symptoms-skin tags, hirsutism, etc. and I think she said once she had irregular cycle. I also have a cousin who has some major reproductive issues but not specifically pcos. We have to remember that PCOS wasn't really identified during our mother's 20's and 30's so they might not know they have it. When I questioned my mom about it when I was diagnosed she kinda had an 'aha' moment but wouldn't look into it any further. She's old, what do ya do right?

Just a thought though, if you are looking into family history, you may want to consider finding out who might have diabetes, especially in the older family. There might be undiagnosed PCOS but diabetes could be hint of uncovering family genetics.

I suspect my mother and grandmother have it but are undiagnosed, as well as my twin sister. Both my mother and grandmother had A LOT of trouble conceiving until.... SURPRISE!!!

PCOS is something that doctors often used to diagnose things that looks kind of like it but they haven't seen before. I don't have cysts on my ovaries but have been diagnosed with PCOS due to others symptoms. My symptoms, however, are completely different than a friend of mine, who has also been diagnosed. Go figure.