Pill schedule showdown: does taking birth control continuously tame PCOS better?

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: To be included in this study, participants must be: 1. Female, within 15-40 years of age 2. Diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome based on the 2003 Rotterdam Criteria (must meet 2 out of 3 criteria): 1. evidence of either biochemical or clinical hyperandrogenism (elevated free and or total testosterone level above the normal reference range for assay, and/or an modified Ferriman-Gallwey hirsutism score \>8) 2. Oligo- or anovulation 3. Polycystic ovary morphology on ultrasound 3. Adolescents should be at least 2 years out from menarche (first menstrual period). 4. Participants must not be on an oral contraceptive pill (OCP) at the start of the study and or Spironolactone therapy (an anti-androgen medication), but recommended by their physician to start OCP therapy. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Females with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) who do not have either biochemical (elevated total or free testosterone levels) or clinical (modified Ferriman-Gallwey hirsutism score \<8) findings of hyperandrogenism will not be included in the study as this is one of the primary outcome measures. 2. Females with PCOS who are already on and currently using a form of contraceptive (oral, vaginal ring, or patch) 3. Females that are concurrently using or plan to use an anti-androgenic medication such as Spironolactone in the next 6 months. 4. Females currently or are planning to obtain permanent hair removal (ex. laser hair removal, electrolysis) in the concurrent 6 months of starting oral contraceptive (OCP) therapy will also be excluded from the study 5. Women who are pregnant or have contraindications for starting an OCP, including active smokers, history of clotting disorders, history of deep vein thrombosis or blood clots, neoplasia, vascular disease, migraines, hypertension, or have renal/hepatic disease will be excluded from the study as OCP therapy would not be indicated or approved in this population. 6. Females with elevated potassium levels above the normal reference range for age.