Which doctor for PCOS? Who does what, how referrals work and what to bring

Your periods have been irregular for months, dark hairs keep appearing on your chin, and someone has mentioned PCOS. Now you are wondering whether to see your GP, a gynecologist or an endocrinologist. Letters and lab reports from each clinic can go in Sam's Health Vault, your own copy for the next appointment, separate from each clinic's records. This is general information, not legal advice; your insurer, plan or GP practice can tell you what applies to you.

Below: who does what, how to get seen in the UK and the US, and what to take from clinic to clinic. What to log beforehand, and which features count toward a diagnosis, is in PCOS: log your cycle and symptoms for the doctor. What Sam keeps for this condition is on the PCOS page. Which blood tests come up is in PCOS blood test: which labs doctors check and why.

In May 2026 an international consensus renamed PCOS polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), with a three-year transition. We put PCOS first because you most likely searched for it. You may hear either name.

Which doctor should you see for PCOS?

No single specialty owns it: PCOS involves your cycle, hormones, metabolism, skin and mood.

The 2023 international evidence-based guideline says models of care should prioritize equitable access to primary care. From there, it wants routes to integrated specialist and multidisciplinary services as needed. In practice:

• UK: start with your GP. The NHS says to see a GP if you think you might have PMOS. The same goes if symptoms affect your everyday life, work or relationships.
• US: HealthCare.gov says you can choose any available primary care provider in your plan's network. In-network care from an ob-gyn (obstetrician-gynecologist) needs no referral, except in grandfathered plans.

Five German medical societies go further. In a joint statement of June 2026 they call PMOS a gynecological and endocrine-metabolic disorder. It also affects the skin, mental health, and the heart and blood vessels. A new German patient guideline, as the diabetes and endocrinology societies summarize it, says PMOS should not be seen through gynecology alone. Care should bring hormone medicine, diabetes care and gynecology together.

So there is no single right door. What matters is that someone checks the suspicion and that results from every clinic end up together. Fertility care is a separate topic that this post does not cover.

GP, gynecologist or endocrinologist: who does what?

The German societies call for care paths across several specialties, from endocrinology to psychotherapy. Roughly, the work splits like this:

This is not a fixed rule; it depends on the clinic and your symptoms.

Your GP: The NHS says a GP who suspects PMOS may arrange blood tests for hormone levels and insulin resistance. They may also arrange an ovarian ultrasound, which the NHS only does for people over 18. And they may arrange tests with a gynecologist or an endocrinologist.

Whoever checks for PCOS: The US Office on Women's Health says your doctor may take your history, examine you and order tests. That can include a pelvic exam and an ultrasound. There is no single test for PCOS, it adds.

An endocrinologist: The German societies stress the central role of endocrinology. The Endocrine Society lists "Should I see an endocrinologist for my condition?" among questions to ask your doctor.

Skin and mood: For skin and hair, the German societies name dermatology. The guideline asks clinicians to screen all adults with PCOS for depression and anxiety. If symptoms are moderate or severe, they should assess further, refer or offer help.

The guideline also wants a lipid profile at the start and a yearly blood pressure check for everyone with PCOS. Ask which clinic does that.

Do you need a referral to see an endocrinologist?

In the UK, on the NHS, usually yes. The NHS says you generally cannot refer yourself to a hospital specialist. The specialist needs a letter from your GP. You are entitled to ask for a referral, but your GP decides whether it is clinically needed. Even for a private specialist, the NHS advises a GP letter.

In the US, it depends on your plan. HealthCare.gov says many HMOs require a referral from your primary care doctor before you see anyone else. Without one, the plan may not pay. In-network ob-gyn care needs no referral. That right does not apply to grandfathered plans, created or bought before 23 March 2010. Check your plan documents before you book.

This is general information, not legal advice.

While you wait for a specialist, contact your GP or primary care doctor sooner if symptoms get worse or new ones appear. The signs under "When should you not wait for the specialist?" below should not wait at all.

What happens at the first PCOS appointment?

The steps below follow the international guideline. Which of them you need is your doctor's call.

1. History: questions about your cycle and about signs of raised male hormones: acne, hair loss and unwanted hair. Your own account of hair growth counts, the guideline says, even if little shows.
2. Exam: for unwanted hair, clinicians use a points scale with a picture atlas, the modified Ferriman-Gallwey score.
3. Blood tests: these look for raised male hormones and help rule out other causes. The guideline names thyroid disease, high prolactin and an inherited adrenal condition.
4. Ultrasound: with irregular cycles and signs of raised male hormones, it is not needed. If it is, the transvaginal route is the most accurate, if it is acceptable to you.
5. Further checks: at the start, glucose metabolism and blood fats, plus questions about mood and anxiety.

For adults, the guideline needs two of three features, once other causes are ruled out. The cycle and symptoms post lists them. This rule is a tool for your doctor, not a test to run on yourself. A missing feature or a normal-looking result is no all-clear.

Teenagers face stricter rules. They need both irregular cycles and signs of raised male hormones. Ultrasound and AMH are not used in the first eight years after the first period. If the features do not quite fit, a doctor can note an increased risk and reassess later. Whether and when to assess should be discussed with you and your parents or guardians.

What should you take from one clinic to the next?

You may see more than one clinic, and each first sees only its own part. The NHS suggests writing down your symptoms and listing all your medicines. Also bring:

• lab reports and ultrasound reports, older ones too, with dates
• clinic letters and referral letters
• your cycle log and notes on skin, hair, mood and sleep
• a medication list including hormonal medication, with start and stop dates; see what to include on a medication list
• your questions (next section)

In Sam, you scan these papers or import them as PDFs into the Health Vault. With your consent, Sam reads the text on your iPhone, and lab values are then extracted in the cloud. Sam matches about 33 lab values by name, including TSH, glucose and HbA1c. Testosterone, LH, FSH and AMH are not among them. For those rows, name, value and unit stay as printed, plus the first reference range your lab printed.

For every value with a printed range, the value card shows "High", "Low" or "In range", worked out against the first printed range only. If a report prints separate ranges for women and men, that label can be wrong. For rows such as testosterone, LH or FSH it is not an assessment of your results, and a result in range does not rule PCOS out. Check the values against the original. The share button on an open document passes the original file to your iPhone's share options. Ask the clinic first which way it accepts documents. The documents are your own copy, separate from any clinic's records.

What questions should you ask your doctor about PCOS?

The NHS suggests writing down your two or three most important questions. Some examples:

• Which other causes have you ruled out, and which not yet?
• Do I need an ultrasound, or are my cycle and results enough?
• When will my glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure be checked, and by whom?
• Should I also see an endocrinologist or a dermatologist?
• Will I need a referral for that?
• Which reports should I take to the next appointment?
• Can I have the results of my tests?

To describe symptoms in a few sentences, use the doctor appointment checklist for a chronic condition.

When should you not wait for the specialist?

A heavy period should be checked by a doctor. Germany's federal health portal names two signs. You often need to change a pad or tampon after only one to two hours, or you pass many thick clots. The NHS also lists severe period pain and bleeding between periods or after sex as reasons to see a GP.

Ask for an urgent GP appointment if new thick, dark hair suddenly starts growing on your face and body. The same applies if your voice is getting lower or your muscles bigger, the NHS says. Per the guideline, signs of raised male hormones that are new and severe, or quickly getting worse, need further tests. These can rule out a tumor that makes male hormones.

If you go longer than 90 days without a bleed, get it checked by a doctor soon. If you could be pregnant, do not wait that long. The MSD Manual names pregnancy as the most common reason periods stop in women of childbearing age.

If dizziness, shortness of breath or a racing heart come with heavy bleeding, get medical help the same day. Germany's federal portal lists these as possible signs of more severe anemia. In the UK, that means NHS 111. If the breathlessness is severe, skip this route and call your local emergency number.

Call your local emergency number (112 in the EU, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US) for:

• severe breathlessness, where you are gasping or cannot get words out
• sudden, very severe pain low in the abdomen together with dizziness or fainting
• fainting with chest pain or a racing, pounding or irregular heartbeat
• fainting while exercising or while lying down
• fainting with a serious injury or with a seizure (shaking or jerking)
• fainting where you do not fully recover, or have difficulty speaking or moving afterwards
• someone who is not breathing, or who cannot be woken within a minute, after fainting
• bleeding that cannot be stopped

Do not wait for these to pass. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, call your local emergency number or a crisis line. Samaritans answer free on 116 123 in the UK, day and night. In the US, call or text 988, free and open around the clock. Sam replaces neither an emergency call nor an examination.

Keep reports from every clinic in Sam and bring them along

You bring the last clinic's lab report, ultrasound report and letter to the next one.

• Instead of a paper folder: you scan clinic letters, specialist notes and lab reports, or import them as PDFs, into the Health Vault.
• Instead of typing values out: with your consent, Sam reads lab values and matches about 33 by name. Rows such as testosterone keep name and value as printed.
• Instead of chasing copies: you send the original file on with the share button, if the clinic accepts it.
• Instead of memory: bleeding days go in cycle tracking, acne or hair loss in the symptom diary.

The High, Low or In range label uses the first printed range only, is not an assessment and can be wrong; check values against the original. Sam is not linked to clinic records. More on the PCOS page.

Try Sam for free

Sam is a wellness companion, not a medical device. The app does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition or health state. Always consult qualified professionals for medical decisions.

General information, not legal advice. Laws, plan terms and NHS practice change, and your case may differ. Check your plan documents or ask your GP practice or insurer what applies to you.

Related reading

• PCOS: log your cycle and symptoms for the doctor
• PCOS blood test: which labs doctors check and why
• Doctor appointment checklist for a chronic condition
• Medication list for your doctor: what to include
• Which doctor for menopause: GP, gynecologist or specialist

Sources

Updated: October 2026

• Teede HJ et al.: International evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome 2023, summary (PDF). Monash University with ESHRE, ASRM, the Endocrine Society and ESE (abstract, context statement on diagnosis and recommendations 1.1.3, 1.1.4, 1.3.3, 1.3.5, 1.3.7, 1.4.6, 1.4.7, 1.4.9, 1.8.3, 1.8.4, 1.9.2, 2.2.1 to 2.2.3, 2.6.2.1)
• DGE, DAG, DDG, DGGG and DGPAED: Joint statement on the international renaming of PCOS to PMOS (PDF, German) (26 June 2026)
• DDG and DGE: Press release "PCOS becomes PMOS" (PDF, German) (June 2026; describes the new German patient guideline, whose text we could not open in the AWMF register)
• NHS: PMOS (reviewed 30 June 2026), Referrals for specialist care (reviewed 12 April 2023), What to ask your doctor (reviewed 12 January 2023; next review was due January 2026), Hirsutism (reviewed 18 August 2025)
• NHS: Heavy periods (19 September 2024), Shortness of breath (30 January 2024), Fainting (17 August 2026), Ectopic pregnancy (23 August 2022)
• HealthCare.gov: Doctor choice and emergency room access and Referral (glossary)
• US Office on Women's Health: Polycystic ovary syndrome (updated 24 October 2025)
• Endocrine Society: Polycystic ovary syndrome (updated 24 January 2022)
• German Federal Ministry of Health, gesund.bund.de: Heavy periods (German) (as of 5 February 2026)
• MSD Manual, consumer edition: Absence of menstrual periods (German edition) (fully reviewed August 2025)
• British Red Cross: Learn first aid for an adult bleeding heavily
• Samaritans: Contact a Samaritan (call 116 123, free, 24 hours)
• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988lifeline.org (call or text 988, free, 24/7)