“It's not very feminine to have a mustache”: Experiences of Danish women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningfagfællebedømt

  • Gertrud Ursula Pfister
  • Kristine Rømer

This article explores women's lived experiences with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) on the basis of semistructured interviews with 21 Danish women. It provides insights about the problems that they experienced and how they coped with PCOS. The interviews revealed that they were highly influenced by society's femininity norms. Many of them perceived their bodies as “different” because of the symptoms of PCOS, namely, hirsutism. They used different strategies to live up to body ideals and cope with the symptoms. However, hirsutism had a decisive negative influence on the women's everyday lives, particularly with regard to male partners and sexual relations.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftHealth Care for Women International
Vol/bind38
Udgave nummer2
Sider (fra-til)167-186
Antal sider20
ISSN0739-9332
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2017

Bibliografisk note

CURIS 2017 NEXS 045

ID: 171579037