PCOS and risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes

January 01, 0001

PCOS and risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes

These Swedish researchers examined whether polycystic ovarian syndrome was linked with adverse pregnancy outcomes. They performed a population based cohort study involving singleton births in the Swedish birth register. They included births among women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (n=3787) and without (n=1?191?336) adjusting for maternal body mass index, maternal age, socioeconomic factors, and use of assisted reproductive technology.

The researchers found: "Women with polycystic ovary syndrome were more often obese and more commonly used assisted reproductive technology than women without such a diagnosis (60.6% v 34.8% and 13.7% v 1.5%). Polycystic ovary syndrome was strongly associated with pre-eclampsia (adjusted odds ratio 1.45) and very preterm birth (2.21) and the risk of gestational diabetes was more than doubled (2.32). Infants born to mothers with polycystic ovary syndrome were more prone to be large for gestational age (1.39) and were at increased risk of meconium aspiration (2.02) and having a low Apgar score (<7) at five minutes (1.41)."

The researchers concluded: "Women with polycystic ovary syndrome are at increased risk of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes that cannot be explained by assisted reproductive technology. These women may need increased surveillance during pregnancy and parturition."

Polycyctic ovarian syndrome increases risk for various adverse outcomes in pregnancy, but the role for surveillance and intervention is not yet established.

For the full abstract, click here.

BMJ 343:d6309, 29 August 2011 © 2011 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.
Risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: population based cohort study. Nathalie Roos, Helle Kieler, Lena Sahlin, Gunvor Ekman-Ordeberg, Henrik Falconer, Olof Stephansson. Correspondence to N Roos: nathalie.roos@karolinska.se

Category: W. Pregnancy, Family Planning. Keywords: polycystic ovarian syndrome, PCOS, pregnancy, preeclampsia, preterm, population-based cohort study, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Paul Schaefer, Toledo, Ohio. Posted on Global Family Doctor 8 November 2011

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.

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