Ultra-processed food, obesity fuelling infertility, say experts

Islamabad:Of the 52 percent Pakistani women of reproductive age suffering from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), more than 80 percent remain undiagnosed, rendering them ineligible to conceive after marriage and worsening the country’s growing infertility crisis, experts warned at an international conference held in Islamabad on Thursday.

PCOS — a complex hormonal condition that can affect menstruation, fertility, and overall metabolic health — is rising at an alarming rate in Pakistan, far exceeding the global average of 4 to 18 percent. According to health experts at the event, this surge is being driven by rampant cousin marriages, genetic predisposition, obesity caused by ultra-processed food consumption, physical inactivity, and a widespread lack of reproductive health awareness.

A particularly worrying factor highlighted was the silent nature of the disease. Most women only find out they have PCOS when they struggle to conceive, suffer recurrent miscarriages, or develop severe hormonal imbalances. In Pakistan’s context, deeply rooted cultural taboos mean girls and young women rarely seek help for symptoms such as irregular periods, acne, or excessive facial hair — all early warning signs of PCOS.

The conference was jointly hosted by the PCOS, Adolescent and Reproductive Health Society of Pakistan, the Endometriosis and Adenomyosis Society, and pharmaceutical company PharmEvo.

Prof. Dr. Rizwana Chaudhry called it a “silent health emergency” that’s been overlooked for far too long. “Women are coming to us only when their reproductive health has been severely compromised. This is a crisis we cannot ignore any longer,” she said.

UK-based gynecologist Dr. Hani W. Fawzi termed PCOS a “wicked problem,” so multifaceted that it demands a coordinated response from gynecologists, endocrinologists, nutritionists, and psychologists. “Without diagnosis, there can be no care,” he said, urging for massive outreach and community-based awareness programs to identify undiagnosed cases.

Brigadier Dr. Mamoona Mushtaq and Dr. Ghazala Mahmood both stressed the need to counter cultural stigma and misinformation through education. “Periods are still taboo. Facial hair is ridiculed. Girls are shamed into silence,” Dr. Mahmood said. “We must start screening in schools and colleges before it’s too late.”

Panelists also emphasized how Pakistan’s infertility rate — currently affecting one in four couples — is largely linked to undiagnosed and untreated PCOS. They urged the inclusion of PCOS education and counseling in national health policies.

Dr. Saima Zubair revealed that AI-driven self-assessment tools and a PCOS chatbot will be launched in September to facilitate early detection and connect women to specialists.