Health-related quality of life in PCOS and related infertility: How can we assess this?

Abstract

In recent years there has been an increasing demand for the design, development and use of questionnaires that can assess patients' experiences of health and illness or their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The application of these questionnaires in research and clinical practice provides information from the patient's perspective on the ways in which symptoms and treatments can affect their daily well-being and functioning. The aim of this paper is to report on the ways in which information on the HRQoL of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can be collected. With particular reference to PCOS-associated infertility, this paper will discuss the types of questionnaires that are currently available. It will discuss the benefits and limitations of the disease-specific PCOS questionnaire, and the other generic and condition-specific tools that have been used in the existing PCOS literature. Recommendations for future researchers interested in measuring HRQoL outcomes in women with PCOS-associated infertility are also made.