- Florence Pugh, 28, was diagnosed with PCOS and endometriosis at 27.
- She froze her eggs at 27 because both conditions can impact fertility.
- Pugh said a different doctor dismissed the diagnoses because of her age.
Florence Pugh has opened up about two recent diagnoses that prompted her to freeze her eggs at 27 years old.
Speaking on Dear Media's SHE MD podcast with her Beverly Hills gynecologist, Pugh, now 28, discussed the moment she was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis — conditions that can impact fertility.
The Oscar-nominated actress said it was a "mind-boggling" experience to find out that having kids may not be a straight-forward process for her, and embarking into the world of fertility preservation.
Pugh also said that another doctor back home in London, whom she did not identify, dismissed her diagnoses.
"She shook her head and she said, 'well, that's just not possible,'" Pugh recalled. She said she told the doctor about her egg count and hormone test results done in LA. Pugh said the doctor responded: "No, you're fine. And even if you do have it, you'll be fine to have kids well into your 30s."
Dr. Thais Aliabadi, the gynecologist who diagnosed Pugh, reacted to her story on the podcast: "That is what women go through every single day."
PCOS and endometriosis — the leading causes of infertility — often go undiagnosed
PCOS and endometriosis are some of the most common causes of infertility. PCOS is a condition where ovaries produce excess male sex hormones, or androgens, creating hormonal imbalances. Endometriosis occurs when the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus.
Common symptoms of both include irregular and painful periods, as well as bloating or weight gain. PCOS symptoms also include thinning hair, excess hair growth, acne, and darkened skin.
Pugh said she had some of the symptoms, like weight fluctuations, acne, and "hair that shouldn't be in certain places." She attributed them all to work stress and just "part of being a woman."
Pugh said she went to get a checkup after being hit by a "sudden feeling" that something was off with her body. "I'd had a few weird dreams; I think my body was telling me," Pugh said.
At the appointment, Aliabadi asked Pugh if she'd ever had her eggs counted — something Pugh said she never thought of doing because she was young.
After counting her eggs and giving Pugh a hormone test, Aliabadi diagnosed her with both PCOS and endometriosis, encouraging her to freeze her eggs in her 20s.
Pugh said she had heard of the conditions before, but didn't think they were common. 1 in 10 women have PCOS, and roughly 200 million people worldwide have endometriosis.
She also didn't expect to have fertility problems because of her family history. "My family are baby-making machines," she said. Her mother had babies into her 40s, for example. She said she was grateful to get diagnosed and freeze her eggs because she'd been wanting kids since she was a child.
These conditions are often misdiagnosed or ignored
PCOS and endometriosis are commonly underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed entirely.
Pugh said she understands that she has "privilege in areas where others won't," so if her symptoms were dismissed, other patients might take even longer to get proper treatment.
PCOS disproportionately impacts women of color, who are also more likely to be misdiagnosed due to racial bias around symptoms like weight gain.
Pugh said she believes everyone should be educated on PCOS and endometriosis because "it's something that will be the defining factor of whether you can have children or not."