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Pregnancy, perinatal and childhood outcomes in women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome and metformin during pregnancy: a nationwide population-based study

R. Fornes, Johanna Simin, Minh Hanh Nguyen, Gonzalo Cruz, N. Crisosto, M. vanderSchaaf, L. Engstrand, N. Brusselaers

Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 2022

1,016,805 participants · 35 citations

Abstract

Background Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that affects women in reproductive age and represents an unfavourable risk factor for several pregnancy and perinatal outcomes. Despite, no guidelines or pharmaceutical strategies for treating PCOS during pregnancy are available. The aim of this study is to determine the association between polycystic ovary syndrome with or without metformin and the pregnancy, perinatal outcomes as well as the risk of obesity in children born to these mothers. Methods In this nationwide population-based cohort study based in Swedish population, all singleton births ( n = 1,016,805) from 686,847 women since 2006 up to 2016 were included. Multivariable logistic and Cox regression modelling with odds ratios (OR) and hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals were used to study the association between the exposure of maternal PCOS, metformin during pregnancy (or the combination of both) and: 1) Pregnancy outcomes: preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, caesarean section, and acute caesarean section, 2) Perinatal outcomes: preterm birth, stillbirth, low birth weight, macrosomia, Apgar < 7 at 5 min, small for gestational age and large for gestational age, and 3) Childhood Obesity. Results PCOS in women without metformin use during pregnancy was associated with higher risks of preeclampsia (OR = 1.09, 1.02–1.17), gestational diabetes (OR = 1.71, 1.53–1.91) and caesarean section (OR = 1.08, 1.04–1.12), preterm birth (OR = 1.30,…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 1,016,805 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

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