Bouchard, T. P., Paiva, K. C. D. A., Jensen, T., Fehring, R. J., & Schneider, M. (2025). Hormone Changes in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Identified with a Personal Quantitative Urine Monitor: A Pilot Study. Preprints.org. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202510.0330.v1
Bouchard TP, Paiva KCDA, Jensen T, Fehring RJ, Schneider M. Hormone Changes in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Identified with a Personal Quantitative Urine Monitor: A Pilot Study. Preprints.org. 2025. doi:10.20944/preprints202510.0330.v1
Bouchard, Thomas P., et al. "Hormone Changes in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Identified with a Personal Quantitative Urine Monitor: A Pilot Study." Preprints.org, 2025.
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Pilot study finds lower urine estrogen in PCOS cycles
A pilot study using a home urine monitor found lower estrogen and a later LH surge in the PCOS cycles. The pilot had 10 women with self-reported PCOS and 10 with regular cycles. PCOS is now also called PMOS (Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome).
Key Findings
The 10 women with PCOS had a higher BMI than the 10 with regular cycles (p=0.02). Age, pregnancies and living children did not differ.
PCOS cycles were longer (p<0.05), the LH surge came later in the cycle (p<0.001), and the luteal phase was shorter (p<0.01).
Across whole cycles, estrone-3-glucuronide (E13G), the urine metabolite of estrogen, was lower with PCOS. Whole-cycle LH did not differ between groups.
Across whole cycles, pregnanediol glucuronide (PDG), the urine metabolite of progesterone, was higher with PCOS (p<0.05). E13G was also lower in the follicular phase and the late luteal phase.
Among cycles with PDG data, 35 of 37 regular cycles (95%) and 40 of 46 PCOS cycles (87%) were presumed ovulatory. The sample was too small to test that gap.
Interpretation
This pilot study reused urine hormone data from an earlier monitoring study, comparing 10 women with PCOS and 10 women with regular cycles. The authors note that the PCOS diagnoses were self-reported. The findings support larger studies of hormone patterns across PCOS subtypes.
RRM Context
Cycle-charting-informed care starts with seeing what the cycle is doing. Fertility awareness-based methods teach women to read cycle signs. Urine monitors add hormone readings to that picture. The authors suggest that metabolic dysregulation in PCOS may contribute to the hormone changes. The new name, PMOS, points to the same metabolic features. Restorative care looks for the cause.
Our editorial summary of this paper, not the article's abstract.
Abstract
Background and Objectives
Quantitative urine monitors are increasingly being used for a personalized approach to improve menstrual cycle knowledge and to manage fertility. Although several studies have evaluated urine fertility monitors in regular cycles, there is limited research in the use of quantitative monitors in reproductive disorders, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
Methods
Urine hormone data was collected with the Mira monitor from 20 participants, 10 of whom had PCOS and a matched group who had regular cycles. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), estrone-3-glucuronide (E13G), and pregnanediol glucuronide (PDG) in PCOS menstrual cycles compared to regular cycles.
Results
Women with PCOS had higher BMI than regular cycling women (p=0.02). PCOS cycles were longer (p<0.05), peak day was later in the menstrual cycle (p<0.001), and luteal length was shorter (p < 0.01) compared to regular cycles. In whole cycle comparisons, E13G was found to be lower in PCOS cycles (p<0.01) and PDG was found to be higher in PCOS cycles (p<0.05). E13G was also lower in the follicular phase of and late luteal phase of PCOS cycles (p<0.00001).
Conclusions
The results of this study demonstrate the feasibility of detecting hormonal differences in PCOS compared to regular cycles with at-home measurements with the Mira monitor. The metabolic dysregulation of PCOS is a possible factor in these hormone changes. Larger studies with different sub-types of PCOS will be needed to further clarify these changes and to understand the pathophysiology behind these hormonal changes.
