Developmental origins of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a case control study comparing birth weight in women with PCOS and control group

Abstract

Evidence from various epidemiological studies and experimental animal studies has linked adverse intrauterine circumstances with health problems in adult life. This field of investigation is known as Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD). Studies investigating the relation between developing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in adulthood and birth weight have yielded inconsistent results: PCOS is described more often in women with low birth weight and high birth weight, while other studies have failed to establish any relation. In this retrospective case-control study, we evaluated whether women diagnosed with PCOS had lower birth weight compared to women with a regular menstrual cycle (controls). Binary logistic regression models were used to analyze the data and correct for known confounders. About 65 women with PCOS and 96 controls were recruited for this purpose. The average birth weight of PCOS women (3357 g) did not differ from the average birth weight of controls (3409 g). Mean age at menarche differed significantly between groups, 13.7 years and 12.8 years (p ¼ 0.006), respectively, for PCOS women and controls. In conclusion, we could not confirm the effect of adverse intrauterine conditions, reflected in birth weight, on developing PCOS.

Prenatal exposures and birth indices, and subsequent risk of polycystic ovary syndrome: a national registry‐based cohort study

“…observed an association between PCOS and high birthweights, but not with birthweight when adjusted for gestational age. We did not observe an association between later PCOS and actual birthweight, which is consistent with several other studies . In our crude analysis we demonstrate an association between later PCOS and low birthweight for gestational age and small head circumference for gestational age, however.…”

“…An important strength of this study is the large size of the cohort, including a whole country, which enabled us to assess more prenatal exposures than in former studies . Information on the exposure variables was prospectively collected through the birth registry, which limits recall bias.…”

“…A number of animal models have been used, demonstrating that sheep, monkeys, rats, and mice treated with testosterone or dihydro‐testosterone prenatally exhibit ovarian and endocrine traits similar to women with PCOS, such as luteinising hormone hypersecretion, enlarged polyfollicular ovaries, and functional hyperandrogenism . Some human studies have suggested that high and low birthweights are associated with an increased risk of developing PCOS, whereas other studies have not shown such an association . One study indicated that women whose mothers had diabetes had a higher risk of being diagnosed with PCOS .…”

Naturally Occurring and Experimentally Induced Rhesus Macaque Models for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Translational Gateways to Clinical Application

“…The latter emulates the~60% diagnostic progression expected from a separate longitudinal study of PCOS families following newborn daughters into adulthood [18]. With regard to age at menarche, however, it is early [127], normal [128] or late [129] for women with PCOS, seemingly determined by weight during later childhood and at menarche. Overweight girls with PCOS are at greater risk for earlier age at menarche, while those who were thin before or at menarche are more likely to have a delayed menarchal age [130].…”

Birthweight and PCOS: systematic review and meta-analysis

“…(2010) also evaluated hyperandrogenism through blood tests. Sadrzadeh et al . (2016) ruled out ovulatory dysfunction by using information from standardized questionnaires on gynecological history.…”