Multiple and ordinary: The materialities of polycystic ovary syndrome

This article focuses on the everyday materialities of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (currently being renamed to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome). A PCOS is a combination of symptoms that vary from patient to patient, such as absent or irregular ovulation and menstruation, impaired glucose metabolism, excessive body hair or problems with fertility. This article adds to research on menstrual health and chronic disease, which has tended to prioritise tracking technologies and medical devices, by drawing attention to ordinary material objects. Drawing on Science and Technology Studies theorisations of disease and self-care, this article examines in-depth semi-structured interviews with people with PCOS to illuminate how materiality shapes everyday coping with this common yet diverse condition. The major finding of the analysis is that although medical professionals frame PCOS as a coherent whole, patients attend to their individual ‘packs’ of symptoms in their daily efforts to manage the condition.