title: A retrospective study of the pregnancy, delivery and neonatal outcome in overweight versus normal weight women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Do overweight women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a higher risk of perinatal complications than normal weight women with PCOS?
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overweight women with PCOS with an ongoing singleton pregnancy have an increased risk of preterm birth as well as an increased risk of giving birth to a baby with a higher birthweight than normal weight women with PCOS.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  There is evidence that overweight (BMI > 25 kg/m²) has a negative influence on the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus and fetal macrosomia in women with PCOS.
  
  
  METHODS
  We set up a retrospective comparative cohort study of 93 overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²) and 107 normal weight (BMI < 25 kg/m²) women with PCOS who were scheduled for fertility treatment between January 2000 and December 2009 and achieved a pregnancy as a result of a treatment cycle, or spontaneously before or between treatment cycles.
  
  
  METHODS
  All data (patient characteristics, medical information, pregnancy, delivery and neonatal outcome) were retrieved from patient medical files. All pregnancy, delivery and neonatal outcome parameters were adjusted for age and pre-pregnancy smoking behaviour. The neonatal outcome parameters were additionally adjusted for gestational age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median BMI in the overweight and normal weight women was, respectively, 30.8 kg/m² [interquartile quartile range (IQR) 5.8] and 20.9 kg/m² (IQR 2.3) (P < 0.001). Baseline characteristics did not differ between groups, except for free testosterone and fasting insulin levels, which were higher, and sex hormone-binding globulin, which was lower, in overweight versus normal weight women (all P < 0.001). The time-to-pregnancy was significantly higher in the overweight group (P = 0.01). Multivariate analyses of the ongoing singleton pregnancies showed significantly more preterm births in overweight (10/61) versus normal weight (2/71) women [adjusted odds ratio 0.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0-0.6, P = 0.01]. The mean birthweight of newborns was significantly higher in overweight (3386 ± 663 g) than in normal weight (3251 ± 528 g) women (adjusted mean difference 259.4, 95% CI 83.4-435.4, P = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results only represent the pregnancy, delivery and neonatal outcome of ongoing singleton pregnancies. The rather small sample size and observational nature of the study are further limitations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest the importance of pre-pregnancy weight loss in overweight women with PCOS in order to reduce the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Veerle De Frène is holder of a Special PhD Fellowship by the Flemish Foundation for Scientific Research (FWO-Vlaanderen). Petra De Sutter is holder of a fundamental clinical research mandate by the Flemish Foundation for Scientific Research (FWO-Vlaanderen). There are no competing interests.
authors: Department of Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium veerle.defrene@ugent.be.
authors: V
authors: V
authors: De Frène
authors: Department of Applied Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 (S9), B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Vansteelandt
authors: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: T'Sjoen
authors: Department of Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Gerris
authors: Department of Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Somers
authors: Department of Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Vercruysse
authors: Department of Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: De Sutter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D047928:Premature Birth; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D061685:Time-to-Pregnancy
keywords: delivery; newborn; overweight; polycystic ovary syndrome; pregnancy complications