A resolution recognizing the seriousness of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and expressing support for the designation of September 2019 as "PCOS Awareness Month".

III 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 317 Recognizing the seriousness of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and ex- pressing support for the designation of September 2019 as ‘‘PCOS Awareness Month’’. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES SEPTEMBER 18, 2019 Ms. WARREN (for herself, Mr. PERDUE, Mr. CARDIN, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mrs. FISCHER, Mr. ISAKSON, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. BOOK- ER, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. PETERS, and Ms. ROSEN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions RESOLUTION Recognizing the seriousness of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and expressing support for the designation of September 2019 as ‘‘PCOS Awareness Month’’. Whereas polycystic ovary syndrome (in this preamble referred to as ‘‘PCOS’’) is a common health problem among women and girls involving a hormonal imbalance; Whereas there is no universal definition of PCOS, but re- searchers estimate that between 5,000,000 and 10,000,000 women in the United States are affected by the condition; Whereas, according to a 2004 study, the annual burden of PCOS in the United States is an estimated VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Sep 19, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR317.IS SR317 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •SRES 317 IS $4,360,000,000, and this figure pertains to only the re- productive years of women and does not consider the cost of other comorbidities, including obstetrical complica- tions, or the cost of metabolic morbidities in post-meno- pause or adolescence; Whereas PCOS can affect girls at the onset of puberty and throughout the remainder of their lives; Whereas the symptoms of PCOS include infertility, irregular or absent menstrual periods, acne, weight gain, thinning of scalp hair, excessive facial and body hair growth, nu- merous small ovarian cysts, pelvic pain, and mental health problems; Whereas women with PCOS have higher rates of psychosocial disorders, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and eating disorders, and are at greater risk for suicide; Whereas adolescents with PCOS often are not diagnosed, and many have metabolic dysfunction and insulin resistance, which can lead to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obstructive sleep apnea, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and endometrial cancer at a young adult age; Whereas PCOS is the most common cause of female infer- tility; Whereas PCOS in pregnancy is associated with increased risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, pregnancy-induced hypertension, preterm delivery, cesarean delivery, mis- carriage, and fetal and infant death; Whereas women with PCOS are at increased risk of devel- oping high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, and heart disease (the leading cause of death among women); VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Sep 19, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR317.IS SR317 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •SRES 317 IS Whereas women with PCOS have a more than 50 percent chance of developing type 2 diabetes or prediabetes be- fore the age of 40; Whereas women with PCOS may be at a higher risk for breast cancer and ovarian cancer, and their risk for de- veloping endometrial cancer is 3 times higher than women who do not have PCOS; Whereas research has found genetic evidence of a causal link between depression and PCOS; Whereas research has indicated PCOS shares a genetic archi- tecture with metabolic traits, as evidenced by genetic cor- relations between PCOS and obesity, fasting insulin, type 2 diabetes, lipid levels, and coronary artery disease; Whereas adolescents with PCOS are at markedly increased risk for type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and heart dis- ease; Whereas PCOS negatively alters metabolic function inde- pendent of, but exacerbated by, an increased body mass index (BMI); Whereas an estimated 50 percent of women with PCOS are undiagnosed, and many remain undiagnosed until they experience fertility difficulties or develop type 2 diabetes or other cardiometabolic disorders; Whereas the cause of PCOS is unknown, but researchers have found strong links to a genetic predisposition and significant insulin resistance, which affects up to 70 per- cent of women with PCOS; and Whereas there is no known cure for PCOS: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Sep 19, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR317.IS SR317 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 4 •SRES 317 IS (1) recognizes polycystic ovary syndrome (in 1 this resolution referred to as ‘‘PCOS’’) as a serious 2 disorder that impacts many aspects of health, in- 3 cluding cardiometabolic, reproductive, and mental 4 health, and quality of life; 5 (2) expresses support for the designation of 6 September 2019 as ‘‘PCOS Awareness Month’’; 7 (3) supports the goals and ideals of PCOS 8 Awareness Month, which are— 9 (A) to increase awareness of, and edu- 10 cation about, PCOS and its connection to 11 comorbidities, such as type 2 diabetes, 12 endometrial cancer, cardiovascular disease, non- 13 alcoholic fatty liver disease, and mental health 14 disorders, among the general public, women, 15 girls, and health care professionals; 16 (B) to improve diagnosis and treatment of 17 PCOS; 18 (C) to disseminate information on diag- 19 nosis, treatment, and management of PCOS, 20 including prevention of comorbidities such as 21 type 2 diabetes, endometrial cancer, cardio- 22 vascular disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver dis- 23 ease, and eating disorders; and 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Sep 19, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR317.IS SR317 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 5 •SRES 317 IS (D) to improve quality of life and outcomes 1 for women and girls with PCOS; 2 (4) recognizes the need for further research, 3 improved treatment and care options, and a cure for 4 PCOS; 5 (5) acknowledges the struggles affecting all 6 women and girls afflicted with PCOS in the United 7 States; 8 (6) urges medical researchers and health care 9 professionals to advance their understanding of 10 PCOS to improve research, diagnosis, and treatment 11 of PCOS for women and girls; and 12 (7) encourages States, territories, and localities 13 to support the goals and ideals of PCOS Awareness 14 Month. 15 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Sep 19, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR317.IS SR317 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS