Sexual wellbeing
PCOS Symptom Checker
A private checker grounded in the Rotterdam criteria clinicians use for polycystic ovary syndrome. It weighs the two PCOS features you can notice yourself — irregular or infrequent periods and outward signs of higher androgens — and tells you whether the pattern is worth raising with a clinician. PCOS is a diagnosis of exclusion only a clinician can make; this is a pattern read, not a diagnosis, and nothing you enter leaves your device.
This weighs the two of three Rotterdam features you can notice yourself — it's a pattern read to guide a conversation, not a diagnosis. PCOS is confirmed only by a clinician.
PCOS symptom checker
This weighs only two of the three Rotterdam features (the two you can notice yourself). It is general information, not a diagnosis, a blood test, or a scan — PCOS is a diagnosis of exclusion a clinician makes after ruling out other causes. It never tells you whether you do or don't have PCOS.
How it works
Two of three features — and other causes ruled out
Clinicians most often diagnose PCOS using the Rotterdam criteria. The rule is simple to state: PCOS is present when at least two of three features are found, and when other conditions that can look the same have been excluded. The three features are irregular or absent periods, signs of excess androgens (either outward ones like extra hair growth and acne, or raised levels on a blood test), and polycystic-appearing ovaries on ultrasound.
Here's the catch for any self-checker: two of those three usually need a clinician. You can't see your own ovaries without an ultrasound, and androgen levels are confirmed with a blood test. So this tool weighs only the two features you can notice yourself — your period pattern and the outward signs of higher androgens — and reports whether they fit, partly fit, or don't clearly fit the pattern.
Just as important, PCOS is a diagnosis of exclusion. Thyroid problems, high prolactin, and other conditions cause the very same symptoms, and a clinician has to rule those out first. That's why no checker — and no single symptom — can settle it, and why the honest answer here is always "worth discussing," not a verdict.
The three features
The Rotterdam features, and what you can check yourself
PCOS needs at least two of these three, plus exclusion of other causes. Two of them can only be assessed by a clinician — which is exactly why this stays a pattern read.
| Feature | What it means | Can you check it yourself? |
|---|---|---|
| Irregular or absent periods | Cycles longer than ~35 days apart, fewer than ~8 periods a year, or none at all (oligo/anovulation) | Yes — this checker asks about it |
| Signs of excess androgens | Coarse hair on the face, chest, or back (hirsutism), persistent acne, or male-pattern scalp thinning — or raised androgens on a blood test | Partly — you can notice the outward signs; the blood test is a clinician's job |
| Polycystic-appearing ovaries | Many small follicles or enlarged ovaries seen on a pelvic ultrasound | No — this needs an ultrasound |
PCOS is diagnosed when at least two of these three are present and other causes are ruled out — a judgment only a clinician can make. Curious how your cycle itself reads? Our cycle-regularity check looks at that one feature in more detail.
What a work-up looks like
How a clinician actually checks for PCOS
If the pattern is worth raising, here's what a clinician (often a gynecologist) does next — and why excluding other causes is part of it.
Your history
Periods, symptoms, weight changes, medications, and family history — plus how long things have been going on.
A physical exam
Checking for signs of excess androgens (hair pattern, skin), along with blood pressure and BMI.
Blood tests
Measuring androgens like testosterone — and, importantly, checking thyroid and prolactin to exclude other causes that mimic PCOS.
Sometimes an ultrasound
A pelvic scan to look at the ovaries. It isn't always needed if the other two features are already clear.
Why a diagnosis matters
Health links a clinician keeps an eye on
Because PCOS involves hormones and often insulin resistance, it's linked to several health areas worth screening over time. Many are very manageable, especially caught early — one reason getting the diagnosis right is worth it.
Type 2 diabetes & insulin resistance
Blood sugar and insulin are checked over time, since PCOS often involves insulin resistance.
Blood pressure
Kept under review as part of overall heart and metabolic health.
Cholesterol & lipids
A simple blood test tracks lipids, which can run higher with PCOS.
Uterine-lining health
Long gaps between periods can let the lining build up, so a clinician makes sure it sheds regularly.
Mood
Anxiety and low mood are more common with PCOS, and worth raising and supporting. If low mood ever feels overwhelming, you can call or text 988 (the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) any time.
Fertility, when it matters
PCOS is a common, treatable cause of difficulty conceiving — support is available when you want it.
When to see a clinician
Worth a visit, whatever a checker says
A couple of patterns deserve a clinician's look on their own — not because they mean PCOS, but because they're worth evaluating either way.
Very infrequent or absent periods
Fewer than about four periods a year, or none for several months when you're not pregnant, is worth checking — long gaps have several causes and the uterine lining needs to shed regularly.
Bleeding between periods
Spotting or bleeding between periods isn't part of the PCOS picture and deserves evaluation to find the cause. Book a visit rather than waiting it out.
Symptoms that bother you
Extra hair growth, stubborn acne, scalp thinning, or trouble with periods are worth raising for their own sake — there are treatments that help, whatever the cause.
Trouble getting pregnant
If you've been trying for about a year or more (or six months if you're over 35) without success, that's a reason to see a clinician — PCOS is a common, treatable cause.
Next steps
Related checks and care
Is my cycle regular?
A closer look at the one Rotterdam feature you can track yourself — whether your cycle length and timing are within the normal range.
Fertility factors
A private look at the factors that shape fertility — helpful if trying to conceive is part of what's on your mind.
See a fertility specialist?
How long to try before seeking help, and the signs that point to seeing a specialist sooner.
Perimenopause stage
If irregular periods might be the menopause transition rather than PCOS, this reads your cycle pattern for that.
Sources
Where this comes from
The two-of-three rule and the three features reproduce the published Rotterdam criteria for PCOS, applied only to the two features a person can self-observe. The descriptions of how PCOS is diagnosed and worked up, the linked health conditions clinicians screen for, and the framing of PCOS as a diagnosis of exclusion follow the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the U.S. Office on Women's Health, and MedlinePlus. We don't reinterpret the criteria or assign a score — we present the pattern and are explicit that only a clinician can diagnose PCOS.
Medically Reviewed & Fact-Checked · Updated
Reviewed by EasySTD Editorial Team
Compiled and checked by EasySTD's editorial team against CDC and public-health sources. This is educational information, not a substitute for advice from a licensed clinician. Our editorial guidelines →
3 Sources
Data & references
- ACOG: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) — FAQhttps://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos
- Office on Women's Health (U.S. HHS): Polycystic ovary syndromehttps://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/polycystic-ovary-syndrome
- MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine): Polycystic Ovary Syndromehttps://medlineplus.gov/polycysticovarysyndrome.html
EasySTD is an information and comparison directory, not a healthcare provider. This tool is general information based on the published Rotterdam criteria: it is not medical advice, a diagnosis, a blood test, or a scan, and it does not create a doctor-patient relationship. It weighs only two of the three diagnostic features and cannot tell you whether you have PCOS — a diagnosis a clinician makes after excluding other causes. If a concern bothers you, talk with a licensed clinician.
Good to Know
PCOS & the Rotterdam criteria: frequently asked questions
What PCOS is, how it's diagnosed, why a checker can't confirm it, what a work-up involves, the health links clinicians screen for, and how private this is.
What is PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome)?
PCOS is one of the most common hormone conditions in people with ovaries of reproductive age. Despite the name, it isn't really about cysts — it's a pattern in which the ovaries don't release an egg regularly, the body makes higher-than-usual levels of androgens (sometimes called male-type hormones), or both. That combination is what drives the familiar features: irregular or missed periods, extra hair growth on the face or body, persistent acne, scalp-hair thinning, and sometimes difficulty getting pregnant. Many people also have insulin resistance. It's a lifelong condition that's managed rather than cured, and the specific mix of features varies a lot from person to person.
How is PCOS actually diagnosed?
Clinicians most often use the Rotterdam criteria, which say PCOS is present when at least two of three features are found — and, crucially, when other conditions that can look the same have been ruled out. The three features are: irregular or absent periods (the ovaries not releasing eggs regularly); signs of excess androgens, either outward ones like extra hair growth and acne or raised levels on a blood test; and polycystic-appearing ovaries on ultrasound. Because two of those three usually require a blood test or a scan, PCOS is a diagnosis a clinician makes — never a self-diagnosis. This checker can only weigh the two features you're able to notice yourself.
Can this checker tell me whether I have PCOS?
No — and it's built not to. It looks at only two of the three Rotterdam features (your period pattern and outward signs of higher androgens), because the third feature needs an ultrasound and part of the androgen assessment needs a blood test. Just as important, PCOS is a diagnosis of exclusion: several other conditions — thyroid problems, high prolactin, and others — can cause the very same symptoms, and a clinician has to rule those out before settling on PCOS. So the most this tool can honestly say is whether your answers fit, partly fit, or don't clearly fit the pattern worth discussing. It never says you do or don't have PCOS.
What does a PCOS work-up involve?
Usually a conversation, an exam, and some blood tests. A clinician (often a gynecologist) will ask about your periods, symptoms, weight, medications, and family history, and examine you for signs of excess androgens along with checking blood pressure and BMI. Blood tests measure androgen levels and, importantly, help exclude other causes — thyroid problems and high prolactin can mimic PCOS, so those are checked too. Sometimes a pelvic ultrasound is added to look at the ovaries, though it isn't always needed if the other two features are already clear. The exact work-up is tailored to you.
What health issues is PCOS linked to?
Because PCOS involves hormones and often insulin resistance, clinicians keep an eye on several linked health areas over time — which is one reason a diagnosis matters. These include type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, blood pressure, cholesterol and other lipids, the health of the uterine lining (long gaps between periods can let it build up, so regular shedding matters), and mood, since anxiety and low mood are more common with PCOS. Many of these are very manageable, especially when they're picked up early — which is exactly what regular screening with a clinician is for.
Is what I enter private?
Yes. This checker runs entirely in your browser. Your answers are read on your own device and are never sent to a server, saved, or shared — close the tab and they're gone. It's general educational information based on the published Rotterdam criteria and ACOG, Office on Women's Health, and MedlinePlus guidance; it can't diagnose you, isn't a blood test or a scan, and doesn't replace a conversation with a clinician.
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