Women are sharing their PCOS and fertility struggles following Keke Palmer’s pregnancy announcement

Keke Palmer is pregnant, and the news has inspired people to share their experiences with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and infertility as a result of PCOS on Twitter. 

Keke announced her pregnancy while hosting Saturday Night Live on December 3. “There’s some rumours going around,” she said during her monologue. “People have been in my comments saying, ‘Keke’s having a baby, Keke’s pregnant.’ And I want to set the record straight — I am!” She then opened her oversized coat to reveal her pregnant belly. 

In 2020, Keke revealed via social media that she has PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome. PCOS is a hormonal disorder that can cause symptoms like irregular periods, acne, painful periods, excessive hair growth, and fluctuating weight, per Mayo Clinic. People with PCOS are also more likely to have anxiety or depression. Palmer said that PCOS was “attacking me from the inside out” her “entire life.” Another common issue people with PCOS face is infertility or difficulty getting pregnant. Not everyone with PCOS has every symptom, however. 

In her Instagram post about her symptoms, Keke mentioned her struggle with acne due to PCOS. “The least harmful thing PCOS can bring is acne,” she wrote. “To all the people struggling with this please know you’re not alone and that you are still so f**king fine! MY ACNE AIN’T NEVER STOPPED ME. But we don’t have accept this. Now I can really help KEKE! And I love her so it’s ON.”

Given Palmer’s diagnosis, fans expressed their support for her pregnancy and shared their personal struggles with PCOS and fertility. PCOS became a trending topic on Twitter as a result.