At The UWI St Augustine campus, a team of researchers are forging ahead with their efforts to improve awareness of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), which the World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated affects up to 13 percent of reproductive-aged women (15-49).
When UWI Today last caught up with Dr Stephanie Mohammed, supervised by Dr Venkatesan Sundaram in collaboration with Dr Brian Cockburn (Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology), Prof Ricardo Azziz and Ms Sasha Ottey in September 2023, a study of 230 women (aged 18-45) in Trinidad was being done to better understand the condition’s prevalence, and efforts were being undertaken to raise awareness of the condition.
In a recent follow-up interview, Mohammed shared that the team has been able to achieve these targets and also gain more recognition for the research.
Mohammed stated that in the past several months, the team was able to get a better understanding of the prevalence of PCOS amongst women in Trinidad.
A preliminary analysis of the data obtained from the study of the 230 women showed that there is a seven percent prevalence of PCOS in Trinidad.
Mohammed added, “We also found a strong association between acanthosis nigricans – a condition that causes areas of dark, thick velvety skin in body folds and creases – and Body Mass Index (BMI).
“We also observed that there were fertility issues in women with PCOS, so there was a high incidence of infertility.”
For the research, the 230 women were phenotyped and placed into four categories according to the National Institute for Health (NIH) 1990 guidelines to diagnose women with PCOS: (i) women with no clinical hyperandrogenism (an excess production of “male” hormones) or menstrual disorder; (ii) women with clinical hyperandrogenism; (iii) women with menstrual disorder; and (iv) women with both clinical hyperandrogenism and menstrual disorder.
Further analysis of the data is being conducted to better understand the correlation between PCOS and mental health.
While the data continues to present a clearer picture on the prevalence and effects of PCOS, Mohammed said the team is continuing its efforts to raise awareness amongst vulnerable groups.
In late September 2023, over 100 adolescents aged 10-18 from schools across Trinidad, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of St Augustine, attended a virtual webinar as part of the team’s PCOS Awareness Month activities.
She explained, “Of course, we had to present the information in a way that acknowledged the sensitivity of discussing the topic with their age group.
“But the webinar was necessary to inform them about PCOS because the WHO has identified there is a lack of awareness about PCOS amongst adolescents, and the condition is understudied in their age group.
“Part of the presentations also included information about the importance of PCOS research in Trinidad.”
The webinar featured presentations by Sasha Ottey of the global PCOS Challenge Organisation, Mohammed, Sundaram, and Cockburn.
On the importance of engaging this group in the research, Mohammed said there are preventative measures – related to physical and mental health – that adolescents can engage in to reduce their chances of developing the conditions.
As such, she said awareness efforts in this group can be a proactive approach to local PCOS management.
They are currently awaiting approval to conduct a study on assessing the reproductive and mental health of adolescents, which is a first of its kind study in Trinidad and Tobago.
Given the impact of Mohammed’s research, it continues to be recognised and awarded both locally and internationally.
In October 2023, Mohammed attended a meeting of the Androgen Excess Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Society in Rotterdam, Netherlands. At the conference, she received the PCOS Challenge Early-Stage Investigator Award, and the Ricardo Azziz Advocacy Leadership Award.
Shortly after, Mohammed was also recognised at the UWI Research Festival in November 2023, where she received the Principal’s Award for the Most Outstanding Graduate Researcher. Her mentors, Dr Sundaram and Dr Nikolay Zyuzikov, received the Most Outstanding Mentor Award.
A research poster, presented at the UWI Research Festival in collaboration with Dr Sundaram and Dr Cockburn, was also awarded Best Poster Presentation in Regional Health Issues and Advances.
Set to soon receive the Paul Harris Fellow recognition on behalf of the Rotary Clubs of Central Port of Spain, Felicity/Charlieville, Princes Town, San Fernando and St Augustine, Mohammed will also begin a two-year postdoctoral position at the University of Pennsylvania in March 2024.
“There, I will continue bioinformatics work and other research on pure women’s health including fibroids, endometriosis, PCOS and other reproductive dysfunctions.”
