title: 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 = 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.
authors.affiliation: a Division of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology , VU University Medical Centre (VUMC) , Amsterdam , the Netherlands and.
authors.forename: Sheda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sadrzadeh
authors.affiliation: b Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Academic Medical Centre , Amsterdam , the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rebecca C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Painter
authors.affiliation: a Division of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology , VU University Medical Centre (VUMC) , Amsterdam , the Netherlands and.
authors.forename: Cornelis B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Lambalk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Birth weight; DOHaD; PCOS; SGA; developmental origins of health and disease