Healthy Living Magazine Article:
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
In this assignment for my Design for Complexity class, I was challenged to produce a health article by gathering information and data, developing the content, and designing the article. My topic looks at the causes and symptoms of my chosen medical issue—Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a medical condition that causes an imbalance of androgen hormones and insulin in women. The imbalance leads to complications in ovulation, where an egg is not released and remains in the ovary. This can lead to the development of cysts on the ovaries, most of which are benign but can sometimes lead to health complications.
Why is this important?
People with PCOS often suffer from irregular periods and, in many cases, infertility. However, the condition very regularly goes undiagnosed because symptoms are mistaken, ignored, or misunderstood.
The goal of this magazine article is to bring awareness about PCOS so that people suffering from the condition can identify symptoms, understand the causes and health risks, and take action to get diagnosed. The tone is supportive and informative to an audience of young to middle-aged adults who could be scared or confused about this medical condition.
Developing A Style
My initial idea for the magazine style was to create aesthetically pleasing and relatable illustrations that would draw people’s attention to the article.
The sketches for this style were done using Procreate on an iPad, then brought to Adobe Illustrator and turned into vector shapes.
After doing this, I decided to soften the colors from the vibrant pink and deep green to a cooler red and cyan color combination.
I ended up carrying this change throughout the rest of the magazine assets.
Illustrative Highlights
The design style for this magazine was illustrative graphics that emphasize elements of the article in order to make learning about PCOS a more enjoyable experience.
When thinking about a color palette, the first thing that comes to mind for women’s health issues is typically shades of pink. However, I wanted to show that PCOS is not only something that women experience, but also anyone who has a uterus.
Because of this, I ended up adding both shades of brown and green as neutrals to show that people who don’t necessarily identify with femininity would be represented in this illustrative style.
Inspired by the grid system of Good Housekeeping: Healthy Living magazine, I turned the article into a Q&A portion that answered some of the most frequently asked questions about PCOS.
Final Iterations
The goal of my layout was to provide easy access to information with illustrations to break up the text and allow the eye to rest. Large bodies of text are sectioned off with decorative lines or boxed into their own mini articles, such as the “Healthy Habits for PCOS” portion.
The layout is successful by creating an eye-catching article that presents important information for identifying PCOS and good first steps for those seeking advice on the condition.
Research & Sources
National Library of Medicine
PCOS affects up to 15% of people with uteruses worldwide. 70% of affected people go years without being diagnosed with PCOS.
Daniilidis, A., & Dinas, K. (2009). Long-term health consequences of polycystic ovarian syndrome: a review analysis. Hippokratia, 13(2), 90–92.
People who experience anovulatory infertility are
70-80% more likely to have PCOS as a contributor.
Sawant, S., & Bhide, P. (2019). Fertility Treatment Options for Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Clinical medicine insights. Reproductive health, 13, 1179558119890867. https://doi.org/10.1177/1179558119890867
Cleveland Health Clinic
Between 40-60% of people with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome struggle to maintain a healthy body weight.
PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome): Symptoms & Treatment. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8316-polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos
Dietary and exercise advice was found here.
What to Eat for PCOS. Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/pcos-diet.