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  • Original Article
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Risk of preterm delivery in non-diabetic women with polycystic ovarian syndrome

Abstract

Objective:

To examine the risk and etiology of preterm delivery in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Study Design:

Retrospective cohort study comparing preterm delivery rate among non-diabetic PCOS and non-PCOS women with singleton pregnancy. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictors of preterm delivery among PCOS women.

Result:

Among 908 PCOS women with singleton pregnancy, 12.9% delivered preterm compared with 7.4% among non-PCOS women (P<0.01). Causes of preterm delivery among PCOS women included preterm labor (41%), cervical insufficiency (11%), hypertensive complications (20%), preterm premature rupture of membranes (15%), fetal–placental concerns (9%) and intrauterine fetal demise (5%). Maternal age, race/ethnicity and nulliparity were significant predictors of preterm delivery in PCOS, whereas body mass index and fertility medications were not.

Conclusion:

A higher proportion of PCOS women delivered preterm (12.9%) compared with non-PCOS women, with the majority of cases due to spontaneous preterm birth. Future studies should explore etiologies and strategies to improve pregnancy outcomes in PCOS.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by funding from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at the National Institutes of Health (NICHD, NIH R01HD052966). The contents of this paper are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH. The authors would like to thank Grace Lee, Susan Peng, Mohammad Hararah and Joel Gonzalez for support with data collection and management.

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Correspondence to J C Lo.

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Yamamoto, M., Feigenbaum, S., Crites, Y. et al. Risk of preterm delivery in non-diabetic women with polycystic ovarian syndrome. J Perinatol 32, 770–776 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2011.194

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