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\r\n <\/picture>\r\n<\/a>\r\nFactors that increase PMOS risk along with genetics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Having genes linked to PMOS can increase your risk of developing the condition, but genes alone are usually not enough. Several other biological, hormonal, lifestyle, and early-life factors are involved. The factors mentioned below can increase the likelihood of developing PMOS or make its symptoms more severe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Insulin Resistance:<\/strong> It causes the body to produce higher amounts of insulin, which stimulates ovarian androgen (male hormone) production. This hormonal imbalance can potentially increase the likelihood<\/a> of developing PMOS in people who have inherited genes linked to the condition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Excess body weight and physical inactivity:<\/strong> Excess body fat, especially around the abdomen, can produce inflammatory chemicals that disrupt the body’s normal hormone balance. Combined with a poor diet and lack of physical activity, this may worsen metabolic and hormonal fluctuations and increase the risk of PMOS.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Hormonal changes during puberty:<\/strong> Although the genes linked to PMOS are present from birth, symptoms often first appear during puberty. The natural rise in reproductive hormones during this stage can trigger hormone imbalances<\/a> that make PMOS symptoms become noticeable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Prenatal factors (before birth):<\/strong> Some studies suggest that conditions such as Maternal Obesity, Gestational Diabetes (high blood sugar during pregnancy), or higher androgen levels during pregnancy may increase a child’s future risk of PMOS.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Environmental pollutants:<\/strong> Long-term exposure to certain environmental pollutants, including fine air pollutants, Nitrogen Dioxide, heavy metals, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (toxins that can interfere with hormone function), may increase the risk of PMOS by disrupting hormone balance and affecting normal ovarian function.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
Warning<\/div>Seek immediate medical attention if you experience sudden, severe pelvic pain, heavy vaginal bleeding, fainting, or persistent vomiting. These symptoms are not typical of PMOS itself and can indicate emergencies such as ovarian torsion, Ectopic Pregnancy (egg implantation outside the uterus), or a ruptured ovarian cyst that requires urgent treatment. <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nCan PMOS be prevented if you have a genetic risk?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
No, PMOS cannot be completely prevented if you inherit a genetic predisposition, as there is no proven way so far. However, healthy lifestyle habits may help reduce the risk of developing the condition or controlling the severity of symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some helpful strategies<\/a> include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Maintain a healthy body weight:<\/strong> Try to keep Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18.5-24.9 and prevent excess weight gain, particularly around the abdomen.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Follow a balanced diet:<\/strong> Eat plenty of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean protein, legumes, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats while limiting sugary drinks, refined carbohydrates, and ultra-processed foods.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Stay physically active:<\/strong> Aim for at least 150 minutes of exercise (such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming) each week, along with muscle-strengthening exercises at least two days a week.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Monitor your health if PMOS runs in your family:<\/strong> If you have a close family member with PMOS, schedule regular health check-ups and discuss any menstrual or hormonal changes with your doctor.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Seek medical advice early:<\/strong> Consult a doctor if you develop irregular or absent periods, persistent acne, excess facial hair, or unexplained weight gain, as early diagnosis and treatment may help reduce the risk of long-term complications.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
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\r\n <\/picture>\r\n<\/a>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nConclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
PMOS has a genetic component, but it is not a purely inherited condition. Rather than being caused by a single faulty gene, it develops through the combined effects of multiple genes together with hormonal, metabolic, and lifestyle factors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The genes can be inherited from either parent, but having a family history does not mean you will definitely develop PMOS. While the condition cannot be completely prevented in people with a genetic risk, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and managing insulin resistance can help reduce the risk and symptom severity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If PMOS runs in your family or you develop symptoms such as irregular periods, acne, or excess hair growth, early medical evaluation can lead to timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nFrequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n\n\nCan you be born with PMOS?<\/h3>\n
\n\nNo, you cannot be born with PMOS. However, you can inherit genes linked to the condition before birth. PMOS usually develops during adolescence or adulthood when hormonal, metabolic, and lifestyle factors interact with these inherited genes.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nDoes genetic testing diagnose PMOS?<\/h3>\n
\n\nNo, there is currently no routine genetic test that can diagnose PMOS because many genes contribute to the condition. Doctors diagnose PMOS using symptoms, physical examination, blood tests, and, when appropriate, a pelvic ultrasound.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nCan identical twins have different PMOS symptoms?<\/h3>\n
\n\nYes, even though identical twins share the same genes, one can develop more severe PMOS symptoms than the other. This often happens due to different hormone levels, metabolism, lifestyle, and environmental factors in addition to genetics.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nCan PMOS skip a generation?<\/h3>\n
\n\nYes, PMOS can appear to skip a generation because family members may carry PMOS-related genes without developing noticeable symptoms or receiving a diagnosis. This means a woman can develop PMOS even if neither parent was formally diagnosed.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nHow much does a family history increase your risk of PMOS?<\/h3>\n
\n\nA family history of PMOS can increase your risk by about 2 to 5 times, especially if your mother or sister has the condition. However, genes alone do not determine whether you will develop PMOS. Lifestyle, hormonal, and environmental factors also influence your overall risk.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nIf my mother has PMOS, should I get tested?<\/h3>\n
\n\nNo, you do not need to get tested simply because your mother has PMOS, unless you have concerns or develop symptoms such as irregular periods, excessive hair growth, or persistent acne. If you have a strong family history or notice these symptoms, speak with your medical provider to determine whether an evaluation is appropriate.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\nCitations:<\/strong>
\n When referencing outside resources, GoodrxMedicine<\/a> always provides full citations. To learn more about the measures we use to maintain the quality of our content, please review our Content Information Policy<\/a>.<\/div><\/div>\n- \n
- Mayoclinic<\/a><\/li>\n
- WHO<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), now officially referred to as Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), is one of the most common hormonal disorders in women. It affects 10-13% of the reproductive-aged women, with 70% women not even knowing they have it. It often causes symptoms like irregular periods and increased or darker hair growth on areas … Read more","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":446168,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"schema_drug_name":"","schema_drug_sameas":"","schema_strip_mentions_drug":"","custom_head_after_canonical":"","geo_latitude":"","geo_longitude":"","rmp_avg_rating":"","rmp_vote_count":"","csco_display_header_overlay":false,"csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_page_reading_time":"","csco_page_toc_navigation":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_location_hash":"","csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_volume":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[155],"tags":[2336,2334,2333,2337,2335],"class_list":{"0":"post-446167","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-womens-health","8":"tag-pmos-causes","9":"tag-pmos-family-history","10":"tag-pmos-hereditary","11":"tag-pmos-risk-factors","12":"tag-polyendocrine-metabolic-ovarian-syndrome","13":"cs-entry","14":"cs-video-wrap"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodrxmedicine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/446167","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodrxmedicine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodrxmedicine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodrxmedicine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodrxmedicine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=446167"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodrxmedicine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/446167\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":446171,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodrxmedicine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/446167\/revisions\/446171"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodrxmedicine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/446168"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodrxmedicine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=446167"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodrxmedicine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=446167"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodrxmedicine.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=446167"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- Follow a balanced diet:<\/strong> Eat plenty of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean protein, legumes, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats while limiting sugary drinks, refined carbohydrates, and ultra-processed foods.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Excess body weight and physical inactivity:<\/strong> Excess body fat, especially around the abdomen, can produce inflammatory chemicals that disrupt the body’s normal hormone balance. Combined with a poor diet and lack of physical activity, this may worsen metabolic and hormonal fluctuations and increase the risk of PMOS.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
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