Fact : This couldn’t be further from the truth and unfortunately a misnomer, as plenty of women who have PCOS don’t have cysts on their ovaries, and having cysts doesn’t mean you have PCOS.

Fact : Although PCOS is a common cause of infertility due to ovulation or egg quality problems, women with PCOS can still get pregnant, both naturally or after fertility treatments such as IVF. The message here is not to get discouraged if someone tells you it’s not possible.

Fact : While obesity or being overweight is a prevalent factor, PCOS does not discriminate and can affect women of all shapes and sizes. In fact, 20 percent of women with PCOS are of average weight or thin.

Fact : PCOS is only one of many causes of an irregular cycle. There are many other causes such as breastfeeding, pregnancy, your diet, stress, thyroid disorders, or hormonal changes. The important lesson to note is to see your obgyn if your cycle is less than 22 days or greater than 34 days long. This is so a thorough examination can be conducted to identify the real cause of your irregular cycle.

Fact : Although hirsutism is a common symptom of PCOS due to the presence of elevated androgen levels, not every woman will experience it as it affects everyone differently.