Sex ratio and pregnancy complications according to mode of conception in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate pregnancy complications and offspring sex ratio according to mode of conception in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

DESIGN

Retrospective, descriptive study.

SETTING

Tertiary, university hospital.

POPULATION: A total of 176 women with PCOS diagnosed according to the Rotterdam criteria.

METHODS

Women with PCOS who have participated in one or more clinical studies were invited to answer a questionnaire on the mode of conception, pregnancy complications, gestational length and offspring gender. A total of 139 women responded. Data were quality checked against hospital files.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Fertility, mode of conception, offspring gender and pregnancy complications.

RESULTS

More than half (54%) of the singleton pregnancies were conceived spontaneously. More complications were seen in pregnancies achieved while using metformin than without (p = 0.02). Compared to spontaneous conception, more boys than girls were born in singleton pregnancies after in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmatic sperm injection treatment (p = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

In women with PCOS the mode of conception may influence both the rate of pregnancy complications and the offspring sex ratio.