Sherwood Forest MP Michelle Welsh visits University of Derby research lab in capacity as chairman of PCOS all-party parliamentary group, as part of PCOS Awareness Month

As part of a campaign to raise awareness about Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), an MP has visited a laboratory carrying out pioneering research into the condition.

Now in its 15th year, the PCOS Awareness Month aims to educate others about the condition and promote women’s health equality.

PCOS is an endocrinological condition that affects up to 20% of women of reproductive age, with a wide range of symptoms that can impact both physical appearance and mental health.

Now, Sherwood Forest MP Michelle Welsh, in her capacity as chairman of All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for PCOS, has paid a visit to the University of Derby to tour its laboratory space where vital research is taking place.

Dr Sophie Williams, assistant head of psychology at the University of Derby, has been leading PCOS research for over 10 years, working alongside Professor David Sheffield.

Their research has had a particular emphasis on the emotional and mental health consequences of living with PCOS. Together, they have contributed evidence to the Government’s Women’s Health Strategy, and Dr Williams has also shared her expertise with the PCOS APPG.

Dr Williams said: “I am delighted to welcome Michelle Welsh MP, the chairman of the APPG for PCOS, to the University of Derby, highlighting not only our research activity, but the commitment and efforts of our team to enhance our knowledge in this under-researched area.

“As collaborators and researchers, we are extremely proud to have contributed to the current knowledge and understanding of the condition and will continue to push to raise further awareness of the condition and improve women’s healthcare experiences.”

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust have also co-funded a PhD with the University of Derby into PCOS research.

Their work has expanded through collaboration with multidisciplinary teams in biomedicine and physiology, as well as with the NHS, helping to improve PCOS care and promote inclusive healthcare practices.

Following the tour, Ms Welsh, said: “I was hugely impressed by the cutting-edge facilities at the University of Derby and the passion of the research team. PCOS affects so many women yet remains too often overlooked.

“The work being done here is not only advancing our understanding of the condition but is also helping to drive forward the case for women’s health equality.

“As chairman of the APPG on PCOS, I am determined to ensure that research like this gets the recognition and support it deserves, so that women living with PCOS see real change in their healthcare.”