Ovarian Conditions & Cysts
Recurrent cysts, PCOS, and ovarian disease — rated on symptoms and treatment, with SMC-K if an ovary is removed.
Ovarian conditions — recurrent cysts, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), ovarian disease, and the complications that follow — are among the most common gynecological issues women veterans face. Many of these conditions began or worsened during service, were treated with hormonal medication in uniform, or were aggravated by the stress and limited healthcare access of active duty.
The VA rates ovarian conditions under Diagnostic Code 7615 (disease, injury, or adhesions of the ovary) using the General Rating Formula at 0%, 10%, or 30%. The rating turns on whether symptoms require treatment and whether that treatment controls them. If an ovary must be removed, separate surgical codes apply — DC 7619 — and Special Monthly Compensation (SMC-K) is added for loss of a creative organ.
PCOS specifically causes metabolic complications (insulin resistance, weight gain, cardiovascular risk) that can be rated as secondary conditions on top of the primary ovarian rating. The combined effect is often far more valuable than the primary rating alone.
Diagnostic Code 7615
Recurrent cysts, PCOS, and ovarian disease — rated on symptoms and treatment, with SMC-K if an ovary is removed.
Use the eligibility criteria and claim steps on this page to pursue this claim without leaving the guide.
Understanding Ovarian Conditions
Ovarian cysts
Fluid-filled sacs on or within the ovaries. Functional cysts are common and often resolve, but complex, recurring, or large cysts cause pain, bleeding, and can lead to ovarian torsion (a surgical emergency). Recurrence and chronicity are what drive the VA rating.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
A hormonal disorder causing enlarged ovaries with small cysts, irregular periods, excess androgens, acne, weight gain, and insulin resistance. PCOS affects approximately 10% of women and carries long-term metabolic and cardiovascular risks that are separately ratable.
Ovarian disease and adhesions
Inflammation, infection (including from pelvic inflammatory disease), endometriosis implants on the ovaries, and post-surgical adhesions all fall under DC 7615. Each affects function and causes symptoms the VA should be rating.
Why these are missed
Ovarian conditions are frequently dismissed as "hormonal" or "normal." In service, symptoms were managed with birth control and rarely investigated further. That management was a treatment decision — and the delayed diagnosis it caused is part of the service-connection story.
Do you qualify for a Ovarian Conditions claim?
You have a current diagnosis of an ovarian condition — cysts, PCOS, ovarian disease, or adhesions — confirmed by a provider.
The condition began during, was discovered during, or was aggravated by military service.
A medical nexus opinion connects your current ovarian condition to service — including aggravation or delayed diagnosis.
Alternatively, the ovarian condition is secondary to a service-connected disability (e.g., endometriosis, MST-related injury) under 38 CFR §3.310.
If an ovary was removed, SMC-K applies regardless of the underlying cause, as long as the condition is service-connected.
Not sure whether you qualify? Eligibility can be complex. An accredited representative can confirm exactly where you stand before you invest time in applications.
What a Ovarian Conditions claim actually gives you
0% rating (service connection established)
Ovarian condition is diagnosed and service-connected but does not currently require continuous treatment. This protects your effective date if it worsens.
10% rating
Symptoms require continuous treatment — hormonal medication, pain management, monitoring with regular imaging.
30% rating
Symptoms are NOT controlled by continuous treatment — breakthrough pain, recurrent cysts despite medication, or worsening despite care.
SMC-K for ovary removal
Removal of an ovary adds approximately $130/month under 38 U.S.C. §1114(k) for loss of a creative organ — on top of your combined rating. Removal of both ovaries under DC 7619 starts at 30% after the 3-month convalescent 100% period.
Secondary metabolic conditions (PCOS)
Insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia caused by PCOS are each separately ratable under 38 CFR §3.310. Weight gain and metabolic syndrome from PCOS carry their own diagnostic codes.
Mental health secondaries
Depression, anxiety, and body-image distress caused by PCOS or chronic ovarian conditions are ratable secondary conditions — and among the most commonly missed.
What this means for you
PCOS and recurrent ovarian cysts are conditions that overwhelmingly affect women, and the VA system was not originally designed with them in mind. Active-duty women were frequently placed on hormonal birth control that masked ovarian symptoms, delaying diagnosis by years. That delay is not your fault — it is a consequence of the care model, and a provider can connect the dots. If you have metabolic complications from PCOS (insulin resistance, weight gain, cardiovascular risk), each of those is a separate claim on top of the ovarian rating.
Filing a Ovarian Conditions claim, step by step
Document your diagnosis
Current ultrasound, lab work (for PCOS: androgens, insulin, glucose), and provider records. If you had imaging or labs in service showing ovarian issues, those are powerful evidence.
File an Intent to File (VA Form 21-0966)
Protects your effective date for up to one year while you gather evidence. No cost.
Get a nexus opinion
A provider's statement linking the ovarian condition to service. For PCOS, the nexus can also address secondary metabolic conditions.
Submit VA Form 21-526EZ
List the ovarian condition and every secondary condition separately — each gets its own rating. Note any surgery for SMC-K consideration.
Describe functional impact
Pain severity on worst days, medications and side effects, days of work affected, emotional impact. The rating is based on impairment, not diagnosis.
Appoint an accredited representative
VA Form 21-22a. A representative ensures every ratable condition is claimed and every favorable code is applied.
Women Veterans Call Center
Staffed entirely by women. Call or text for help with claims, healthcare, or connecting to a specialist.
1-855-829-6636What trips women veterans up
Not filing for PCOS because it was diagnosed before service — if service aggravated it (stress, hormonal treatment, weight changes), the aggravation is ratable.
Claiming only the ovarian condition and missing the metabolic secondaries — insulin resistance, diabetes, hypertension from PCOS are each separate ratings.
Accepting a 10% when medication is not controlling symptoms — recurrent cysts or pain despite treatment supports 30%.
Not claiming mental health secondaries — depression and anxiety from chronic pain or PCOS-related body changes are ratable.
Forgetting SMC-K after oophorectomy — loss of an ovary qualifies for additional monthly compensation.
Letting hormonal birth control use in service go undocumented — that treatment is part of your military medical record and supports the claim.
Ovarian Conditions: your questions answered
Can PCOS be service-connected?
Yes. If PCOS began during or was aggravated by military service — through stress, hormonal changes, or delayed diagnosis — it can be service-connected. Even if PCOS was diagnosed before service, worsening during service (aggravation) is separately compensable.
What secondary conditions can I claim with PCOS?
Yes, several. Insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, sleep apnea, depression, anxiety, and infertility are all separately ratable under 38 CFR §3.310 when caused or aggravated by service-connected PCOS.
What happens if I had an ovary removed?
Removal of one ovary under DC 7619 is rated 0% after the 3-month convalescent period at 100%. Removal of both ovaries is rated at 30% after the convalescent period. In both cases, SMC-K adds approximately $130/month for loss of a creative organ.
Does birth control use in service affect my claim?
Yes. Hormonal birth control prescribed in service is a treatment decision in your military medical record. If it masked symptoms, delayed diagnosis, or contributed to hormonal imbalance, a provider can document that connection to support your claim.
Can recurrent cysts be rated even without surgery?
Yes. Recurrent ovarian cysts requiring continuous treatment are rated at 10%, and cysts not controlled by treatment are rated at 30%, under the General Rating Formula. Surgery is not required for a compensable rating.
What evidence does the VA want for an ovarian condition claim?
Current diagnosis (ultrasound/labs), service treatment records showing symptoms or treatment, a nexus opinion, and documentation of how the condition affects your daily life. For PCOS, lab work showing metabolic markers (insulin, glucose, androgens) strengthens the claim.
See every reproductive health condition rated by the VA, or estimate the rating that could expand your compensation.
Not sure where to start?
Whether you need help understanding your rating, building a nexus, or challenging a decision, a free review of your situation can put you on the right path.
