According to a study of 18,000 patients, women with polycystic ovarian syndrome are eight times more likely to commit suicide

Women with a common reproductive disorder are eight times more likely to commit suicide than women without the disorder, according to a new study of nearly 20,000 women.

Researchers from Taipei Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan analyzed health outcomes for women aged 12 to 64 with polycystic ovary syndrome over the course of 15 years.

The condition affects about one in 10 American women of childbearing age and affects the functioning of the ovaries, affecting fertility.

There are three main features of the condition; irregular ovulation, increased testosterone and small fluid-filled sacs that form on the ovaries.

This results in a range of symptoms, including short periods, weight gain, excessive hair growth and fertility problems.

Research shows that approximately one-third of infertility cases in women are linked to PCOS.

Now the latest research suggests that mental illness should be added to the list of life-destroying problems associated with the condition.

The authors wrote: ‘It should be noted that individuals diagnosed with PCOS have an increased susceptibility to suicide attempts and self-harm compared to those without the condition.’

As for the reasons, the researchers suggested that this could be partly related to self-confidence issues resulting from the symptoms.

Issues like weight gain, acne and excessive hair growth can “have a negative effect on their body image and self-confidence, which can lead to psychological problems,” they say.

They added: ‘Challenges associated with fertility and managing PCOS symptoms can further exacerbate existing mental health problems.’

The condition has gained more attention in recent years, especially as high-profile women opened up about their struggles with PCOS.

For example, actress Daisy Ridley revealed in 2016 that the pain she was in and the condition’s impact on her skin color made her “so self-conscious” that her sense of self-confidence was “in tatters.”

In their study, the researchers looked at women with and without PCOS, and analyzed the percentage in each group with psychiatric diagnoses known to put them at high risk for suicide.

This includes schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and substance/alcohol use.

A similar percentage of each group suffered from psychiatric disorders: about 10 percent.

However, the researchers found that on average, women with PCOS had an 8.47 times higher risk of committing suicide compared to women without the condition.

When they broke that down further by age group, the authors found that the risk of suicide attempts was 5.38 times higher for adolescents, 9.15 times higher for adults under 40 and 3.75 times higher for older adults, compared to controls.

The reduced risk of suicide attempts in old age may be due to an improvement in symptoms as women get closer to menopause, such as menstrual regularity.

However, testosterone levels remain out of balance, which is why older women with PCOS continue to experience poorer mental health.

When the researchers looked at women without mental health problems, they found that PCOS patients were 8.34 times more likely to commit suicide than those without the condition.

The authors said: ‘These findings highlight the importance of physician vigilance in monitoring the mental well-being and suicide risk of patients diagnosed with PCOS.’

Their findings were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.