Growth Restriction in the Offspring of Mothers With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Abstract

ImportancePolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder, characterized by subfertility, increased risk of metabolic diseases, and pregnancy complications. Previous studies diverge regarding the association between maternal PCOS and newborn anthropometrics.ObjectiveTo explore the association between maternal PCOS and newborn anthropometrics and the modifying effects of maternal body mass index, PCOS phenotype, and gestational diabetes.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis cohort study followed up women from the first half of pregnancy to birth and combined data from 3 clinical trials of pregnant women with PCOS and a reference population consisting of participants in the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort (MoBa) Study, with data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. The recruitment period for the clinical trials was between October 1, 2000, and August 31, 2017, and for MoBa, between July 1, 1999, and December 31, 2008. Participants included women with singleton pregnancies and live-born children. Data were analyzed from January 1 to June 15, 2023.ExposureMaternal PCOS status.Main Outcomes and MeasuresNewborn birth weight, birth length, and head circumference as continuous variables and z scores, and ponderal index (calculated as the birth weight in grams × 100 divided by the birth length in centimeters cubed), placenta weight, and ratio of birth weight to placenta weight (BWPW).ResultsThe cohort included 390 pregnant women with PCOS (mean [SD] age, 29.6 [4.2] years) and 68 708 women in the reference group (mean [SD] age, 30.4 [4.5] years). Offspring in the PCOS group had lower birth weight, birth length, and head circumference than in the reference group offspring. The estimated mean differences in z scores were −0.26 (95% CI, −0.38 to −0.14) for birth weight, −0.19 (95% CI, −0.33 to −0.05) for birth length, and −0.13 (95% CI, −0.26 to −0.01) for head circumference. The PCOS group also had a lower ponderal index (−0.04 [95% CI, −0.07 to −0.004] g × 100/cm3) and placenta weight (−24 [95% CI, −43 to −5)] g), and higher BWPW ratio (0.4 [95% CI, 0.3 to 0.5]). The association between growth restriction and PCOS was more apparent when additionally adjusting for body mass index. Neither PCOS phenotype nor gestational diabetes diagnosis was associated with neonatal anthropometry in women with PCOS.Conclusions and RelevanceIn this cohort of mother-infant pairs, maternal PCOS status was associated with lower birth weight, shorter birth length, and smaller head circumference in the offspring. This growth restriction was more pronounced when adjusting for BMI, providing insight into the association between PCOS and body mass index. The study contributed to the understanding of how PCOS affects the offspring.