While being diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and navigating its symptoms can feel isolating at times, we’re here to reassure you that you’re not alone. In fact, 1 in 10 people born with ovaries have PCOS! And some of those people are celebrities with PCOS who have spoken out about their experience to shine a light on this complex condition.
In this article:
What exactly is PCOS?
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age.
Although PCOS affects everyone differently, symptoms may include irregular or prolonged periods, elevated levels of male hormone levels, cystic acne, hair loss or unwanted hair growth, chronic fatigue, insomnia, and enlarged ovaries that contain follicles surrounding the eggs.
If you suspect (or know) you have PCOS, reach out to us to get connected with a PCOS expert who can help you achieve your goals – whether you’re trying to conceive or simply want to improve your wellbeing.
Note: While the majority of the focus is typically on women with PCOS, it’s important to understand that PCOS can affect anyone assigned female at birth – meaning trans men, non-binary folks and others who don’t identify as female can still struggle with the condition. Read one trans PCOS patient’s perspective here.
Celebrities With PCOS Speak Out
While it may be common, living with PCOS is no easy task. Trust me, I get it (I have PCOS too). Surprisingly, I’ve found it helpful to learn that many celebrities (whose lives seem wildly glamorous) are managing PCOS symptoms just like us in their day-to-day lives. The truth is that PCOS doesn’t discriminate.
PCOS affects everyone differently, so we’ve assembled an entire squad of celebrities who are managing their symptoms while living in the spotlight and using their platform to bring awareness to this often misunderstood condition. Many of the following celebs may have what’s known as ‘lean PCOS,’ which is the term applied to PCOS patients who don’t necessarily struggle with weight gain, but still experience other symptoms.
Through their shared experiences and insights, it might help us conquer our own symptoms and ultimately, improve our chances for conceiving.
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,” Lea shared with Health. “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, we often initially try to solve them in isolation. We don’t realize that it’s all connected…until we have that “A-ha!” moment with our doctor. Sure, getting a PCOS diagnosis is not happy news, but at least it explains the connection between whatever health issues we’re struggling with!
Lea went on to say, “Through diet, I have been able to manage my symptoms. But I am very fortunate. There are way more extreme versions of PCOS that women have a lot of difficulty with — mine is not as intense. Which is why I haven’t really talked about it, because there are women who have it so much worse.”
It’s true – we all deal with our own unique set of PCOS symptoms. But no matter how we experience PCOS, we all benefit from celebrities like Lea Michele speaking out about the condition and spreading awareness.
Sasha Pieterse
The Pretty Little Liars star has been honest about her struggles with PCOS and the fears that come along with it.
With infertility being a major concern with PCOS, she 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.
Sasha told People Magazine, “Just the fact that we were able to get pregnant was such a blessing because with PCOS that made me nervous.” She continued, “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? Sasha raises a good point – not all women with PCOS necessarily struggle to conceive! So if you’re worried about your own fertility, let her story encourage you. And for those who do end up struggling to conceive with PCOS, there are lots of options to help you.
Jillian Michaels
The fitness queen has never been shy when it comes to talking about her health. She 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, and I remember thinking, God wants something different for me,” recalled Jillian. “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.”
We hear you, Jillian! It’s funny how you don’t really think about the possibility of being infertile until it’s already causing a problem in our life, right? And, even more ironically, some of us focus intensely on not becoming pregnant for so long, only to find out it’s not as easy as we had assumed it would be once we’re ready to start a family.
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Written by Nurse Practitioner Monica Moore with guidance from our in-house Nutrition Team Jill Hickey and Jennifer Walsh, this PCOS eBook is the ultimate guide to understanding and managing PCOS.
Daisy Ridley
Turns out the Star Wars actress is just as much of a warrior offscreen. In the world of highly-filtered social media posts, Daisy has shared on Instagram about her 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 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,” said Daisy. “HOWEVER, progress is being made!”
“From 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.”
She’s so right. We should feel empowered by our diagnosis and knowing that there are clear ways we can treat our bodies, both in lifestyle changes and medicine, should we need it. And thankfully, there are more and more resources to support us PCOS sufferers navigate the condition.
Victoria Beckham
The mom 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 with the stress of trying to conceive.
“I [was] really feeling the pressure,” Victoria 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!’”
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 ongoing struggles with infertility.
“The way that it started was I was diagnosed with endometriosis and PCOS when I was 20, and I went undiagnosed for a really long time,” revealed Jamie. “I lost my first baby at that age. And I continued to miscarry and miscarry, and it took many years for me to have my first child, and when I was going through this, I cannot explain what it felt like — that this one thing that we’re told as women is that our gift is that we can carry life, and all of a sudden someone says, ‘Oh, maybe that’s now in question.’”
If you’re reading this blog, you can likely relate to having your world rocked with a PCOS diagnosis, struggling with infertility, or experiencing a miscarriage (or multiple). Maybe it’s all of the above. Whatever it is, you’re not alone in your struggle.
Emma Thompson
The legendary actress has proven that you can achieve great things (um, hello, she won an Oscar) while living with PCOS and clinical depression. After struggling with infertility, Emma underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF) to help her conceive her daughter, Gaia. Several additional rounds of IVF later, Emma and her husband couldn’t conceive another child. They ended up adopting a few years later.
“For years I counted people’s children in the street and thought I’d never recover,” she said in a magazine interview. “But you do, of course.”
Fertility jealousy is a real thing, and not something we should feel embarrassed or guilty about. It’s more about how we regain confidence, move forward, and figure out what is right for our individual stories.
TTC 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 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 Harnaam. “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 went on, “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.”
Harnaam is right. When you first found out you had PCOS, how much did you know about the condition? Many of us didn’t know much (or anything at all), and PCOS is the most common hormonal imbalance in women, so it shouldn’t be a secret sisterhood. When we see others speaking out about their situation, it provides us emotional support and reassurance that we can do this. We can manage our PCOS.
It’s also important to note that anxiety and depression are both associated with PCOS. We need to constantly be in tune with how we’re managing our symptoms, both physically and mentally.
Jools Oliver
The children’s book author, model, and wife of chef Jamie Oliver has been open about her miscarriages 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 Jools. “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.
Maci Bookout McKinney
MTV’s Teen Mom star has been open with her PCOS struggles on the reality show. During one episode, Maci explained that she often goes months without having her period and then will 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,” Maci shared on the show.
Maci recently opened up to Allara Health about what has helped her on her PCOS journey, saying “PCOS can feel really lonely at times, so making connections in the PCOS community will help you feel like people have your back.”
Taking action: The reality star has met with Tennessee representatives to advocate for bills funding PCOS research, championed PCOS Challenge’s efforts, and continued to speak out on TV and social media to help raise awareness. Maci is a great example of how your situation can create positive change for others.
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 Rebecca. “I’d always suffered irregular periods, sometimes as long as nine months in between, but it never worried me.”
Rebecca now manages her symptoms 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 manage your PCOS symptoms, whether you suffer from acne, hirsutism, anxiety, or the many other lovely side effects of this challenging condition. Check out some easy PCOS snack ideas from our nutritionist here!
You’re not alone.
If you’re ready to take action and find real solutions for managing your PCOS symptoms, take the first step and reach out to our expert team! We’re ready to help you thrive.
The Common Thread of PCOS
While the PCOS club isn’t one we ever wanted to be a part of, it’s comforting to be in such good company as Jillian Michaels, Jaime King, and so many others. Reading these different celebrities’ PCOS stories and knowing your own PCOS journey is proof that everyone experiences the condition in a unique way.
Even though no two stories are the same, the emotions and struggles associated with them are familiar. It turns out that being in this particular “cysterhood” is more common than you might have initially thought.
The good news? Help and support are available to you – and there are ways to successfully manage your PCOS symptoms and thrive with this complex condition!
