Fear: (K2) “I had a feeling that I might have PCOS because my mother and sister also have it, and they struggled to have children… I was afraid that I might not be able to have children in the future. After the diagnosis, the doctor prescribed me birth control pills and said that if I took them, I would have regular periods, but if I didn’t, I would continue to experience the same symptoms, which made me a bit anxious. As I mentioned, I felt anxious about the difficulties I might face in having children in the future (became emotional).”

(K17) “I remember feeling scared when I was first diagnosed with PCOS because I had no knowledge about the condition. I started researching the disease to see if I would face any problems now or in the future. During my research, I learned that it could lead to difficulties in conceiving, which made me sad and worried. At that time, I was in a relationship, and we were considering marriage (said in a sad tone).”

Anxiety About Conceiving: (K8) “I found out that I had polycystic ovary syndrome during a check-up. It was a condition I had heard about often, but no one in my family had it, so I never thought I would have it. I was upset when I found out because it’s a condition that can lead to infertility (became emotional). I wanted to have children. I have always loved spending time with babies and children. I could say my nieces and nephews grew up with me (became a bit emotional). The doctor suggested we start treatment and progress as needed, so I agreed, and we began the treatment process.”

(K14) “When I was diagnosed with PCOS, I was mainly concerned about the possibility of not being able to become a mother due to my irregular periods. I constantly felt the need to stay thin, thinking that maybe my body needed to be below a certain weight because of this condition (felt unhappy here). Weight issues have always been challenging for me. The effects I mentioned caused quite a bit of stress and fear, leading to a sense of demoralization.”

Stress: (K3) “I was diagnosed when I was around 18 years old, just starting university, and away from my family. Because of this, I was really stressed at the time. I started treatment after the diagnosis, and later, my cysts ruptured as well.”

(K7) “At first, I didn’t know what PCOS was, so I didn’t really feel anything. Later, after doing some research and getting explanations from the doctors, I didn’t panic, but I did feel stressed. I experienced some anxiety issues, you could say. The treatment process after the diagnosis was also exhausting for me (felt unhappy here).”

Sadness: (K4) “When they first told me, I was obviously sad. I thought I might never be able to have children. It was tough at first. They tried to regulate my periods initially, and then I started taking medication. But, as I said, this kind of pressure is really hard to deal with.”

(K10) “Honestly, I was a bit sad when I first heard about it. I realized that this condition won’t go away and will continue indefinitely. When I learned that it could potentially lead to infertility in the future, I was very upset. I really hope this doesn’t happen but knowing that it’s a possibility makes me very sad. Out of everything, this is what upset me the most.”

Anxiety: (K5) “When I first learned that I had PCOS, I was very anxious and upset because I didn’t know much about it and thought it might be a tumor or cancer (felt sad here). I was stressed during that time. Later, when I found out that the symptoms could be reduced with medication, I felt a sense of relief…”

Absence of Anxiety: (K9) “No, I didn’t feel any anxiety. As I mentioned, my condition developed after my fourth child, so I didn’t have any concerns in this regard (said happily).”

(K13) “I was a bit worried, but they never told me that I couldn’t have children. I didn’t experience anything like that. I have a son, thank God. I didn’t undergo any treatment… My child was conceived naturally.”

Doctor’s Statements: (K8) “When I learned that I had polycystic ovary syndrome, the doctor told me that I couldn’t conceive because of this condition. At that moment, I felt as if I would never be able to become a mother again (became emotional). I felt terrible. The doctor then told me that I could get pregnant with treatment. He never spoke negatively to me. I chose to trust the doctor. If the doctor had told me that I would never be able to have children, I might not have been able to see these days. I met many women online who had undergone treatment and successfully conceived. Seeing that many women had gone through what I was going through, I focused entirely on the treatment. It was difficult, but thankfully, I have a child now.”

Fear of Not Being Able to Conceive: (K6) “Yes, I feel anxious and worried about not being able to become a mother because of my PCOS. On a scale of one to ten, I would rate my anxiety at seven. I want to become a mother in the future. The possibility that my PCOS could prevent me from becoming a mother makes me very sad and anxious.”

Internet Information: (K1) “Yes, I felt a lot of anxiety because every woman wants to have children when she gets married in the future. Women with this condition might face difficulties in becoming a mother, which makes me very anxious. The reasons for my anxiety might be the information I found online during my research.”

Doctor’s Statements: (K3) “…Because a few doctors told me that I wouldn’t be able to have children because of this condition. One doctor even said that I would definitely never be able to have children. This situation was very distressing for me. However, when I went to another doctor, they said there was no issue and that I could try. I decided to give it a try. About 5-6 months after stopping my medication, I conceived my son naturally (was happy)…”

Social Pressure: (K12) “Yes, I experienced anxiety. Since I didn’t know how the disease progressed, I felt anxious. Later, when I learned that having children wasn’t impossible, I felt relieved. If I were to rate my anxiety level on a scale of 1 to 10, I would say it was at level 7. The main reason for my anxiety was the common belief that not having regular periods means you can’t have children.”

(K14) “The information I gathered from my research online and from people around me about the difficulties in becoming a mother is one of the reasons for my anxiety.”

Irregular Menstruation: (K7) “Because my periods are irregular, I’m unable to conceive. This has caused significant stress for me.”

(K15) “I think all women feel anxiety and concern about not being able to become a mother. Irregular periods are known to be one of the factors that can prevent pregnancy. When my periods are irregular, I feel anxious about the future.”

(K1) “…The fact that my periods never become regular and the long gaps between them increase my anxiety and fear levels. I could also add that I struggle with losing weight, and being overweight is an important factor in not being able to have children.”

Internet: (K1) “As I mentioned, after the diagnosis, I researched online and gained some information. This negatively impacted my anxiety levels. There are many potential effects of PCOS, and when I thought a lot about the possibility of these affecting me in the future, I became scared and anxious.”

(K4) “I learned most things by researching online; I didn’t get much information from my doctor. When I went to the doctor, they would just proceed with the treatment without much explanation…”

(K6) “My doctor didn’t provide me with any information, not even about my diagnosis, which I only found out by checking the e-Nabız app. Because of this, I had to research online to understand my condition.”

Doctors: (K2) “As I mentioned, I was already aware of PCOS because it was present in my family. After finding out I had PCOS, I did more detailed research, starting with the internet. When I went to see the doctor, I asked him about it. The doctor who diagnosed me also had PCOS and explained it to me, saying that there was no need to worry… Initially, I was anxious and worried, but after realizing that many others also had PCOS, my anxiety and worries decreased to a normal level.”

(K3) “Every time I visit, the doctors explain PCOS to me. So, I know as much as they’ve explained. It used to affect my anxiety levels, but now I know that many women around me have this condition… Therefore, as my knowledge increased and I took care of myself, my anxieties and worries decreased.”

(K5) “After being diagnosed, I naturally asked my doctor for information about PCOS. That’s how I initially learned about it.”

Lack of Information: (K10) “I didn’t get much information from the doctor. They just mentioned that PCOS can cause issues like hirsutism and acne, but they didn’t explain much else. I had to look things up online myself. Honestly, I don’t know much; I only have some basic knowledge.”

(K13) “I wasn’t given much information. They just told me I had this condition, and I’m now going for regular check-ups…”

Close Contacts: (K16) “I did some research online, but I mainly talk to my cousin, who also has PCOS…”

(K14) “Initially, I had some knowledge because my sister also has PCOS. Later, I did some research online to increase my awareness about the condition.”