Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsMiscarriageHypertension/PreeclampsiaGestational DiabetesPremature Delivery
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Miscarriage
Hypertension/Preeclampsia
Gestational Diabetes
Premature Delivery
Most women with PCOS are aware that they may have some difficulty becoming pregnant. Irregular periods and absent ovulation can make it challenging to time intercourse for pregnancy and commonly leads a couple to seek out the assistance of a reproductive specialist.
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But many women aren’t aware that having PCOS can also increase their risk for certain pregnancy-related complications like those covered here.
Rest assured, visiting your obstetrician regularly and following their recommendations for prenatal screening can help reduce your risk of many of these complications.
Understanding Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Women who have PCOS do appear to be at a slightly higher risk for having a miscarriage, though the cause for this relationship is unclear. A few factors may be to blame.
Some researchers believe the immune response may play a role. For example, low levels of progesterone can overstimulate the immune system causing it to produce autoimmune antibodies, which can lead to miscarriage.
There is also a known relationship between uncontrolled blood sugar and miscarriage. Given that women with PCOS tend to have insulin resistance and elevated insulin levels, some researchers hypothesize that this may contribute to poor egg quality and miscarriage.
High androgen levels and endometrial dysfunction, meaning problems with implantation, may also play a role in the increased risk of early pregnancy loss in women with PCOS. That said, more research is needed before a clear association can be developed.
Does Your PCOS Put You at Higher Risk for Miscarriage?
Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia
Gestational hypertensionrefers to women who develop new-onset high blood pressure after 20 weeks. Preeclampsia is a serious health condition that also develops in the second half of pregnancy and causes protein in the urine, in addition to high blood pressure.
If left untreated, preeclampsia can progress to the severe form of the syndrome called eclampsia, which can cause seizures, blindness, and/or coma. In serious cases, both maternal and fetal death can result.
Every time you visit your healthcare provider, they will check your blood pressure and sometimes take a urine sample to look for protein in the urine. This is to make sure that you are not developing preeclampsia.
Women with PCOS may be at greater risk for high blood pressure.If it’s determined that you are at high risk, your healthcare provider may recommend low-dose aspirin (81 milligrams/day)—starting at 12 weeks of pregnancy—to help prevent preeclampsia and its related complications.
It’s also important to watch out for signs and symptoms of gestationalhypertensionand preeclampsia (swelling, rapid weight gain, severe headache, vision changes) and promptly report them to your healthcare provider, or proceed to the emergency room if necessary.
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High Blood Pressure and PCOS
Gestational diabetes occurs when diabetes, an alteration in how the body processes sugar, develops during pregnancy. While the condition usually resolves after giving birth, a woman with gestational diabetes is more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life, requiring ongoing monitoring of blood sugar levels.
All pregnant women are monitored for gestational diabetes with routine blood sugar screening sometime between 24 and 28 weeks. Women with knowndiabetes,insulin resistance, or who are at higher risk for developing gestational diabetes may be screened earlier.
Women who are older than 25, have had gestational diabetes with prior pregnancies, who are overweight, who have prediabetes, or who have close family members who have been diagnosed withtype 2 diabetesare at greater risk for developing gestational diabetes.Women with PCOS are a part of that group because of the association with insulin resistance and prediabetes.
The Link Between PCOS and Insulin Resistance
A Word From Verywell
Some of these complications sound pretty scary, but there are many things that you can do to help lower your risk.
First and foremost, get regular prenatal care as early into the pregnancy as possible. Even better would be to see your healthcare provider before trying to conceive so that you can discuss specific lifestyle strategies to lower your risks.
For instance, discuss an exercise regimen with your healthcare provider, and if you struggle withhealthy eating habits, ask for a referral to a nutritionist.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Palomba S, Santagni S, Falbo A, La Sala GB.Complications and challenges associated with polycystic ovary syndrome: current perspectives.Int J Womens Health. 2015;7:745-63. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S70314Pan ML, Chen LR, Chen KH.The risk of subsequent miscarriage in pregnant women with prior polycystic ovarian syndrome: A nationwide population-based study.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(16):8253. doi:10.3390/ijerph18168253.Diamanti-Kandarakis E, Dunaif A.Insulin resistance and the polycystic ovary syndrome revisited: an update on mechanisms and implications.Endocr Rev. 2012;33(6):981-1030. doi:10.1210/er.2011-1034Cleveland Clinic.Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.Aspirin use to prevent preeclampsia and related morbidity and mortality: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diabetes: who’s at risk?Naver KV, Grinsted J, Larsen SO, et al.Increased risk of preterm delivery and pre-eclampsia in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and hyperandrogenaemia.BJOG. 2014;121(5):575-81. doi:10.1111/1471-0528.12558
Palomba S, Santagni S, Falbo A, La Sala GB.Complications and challenges associated with polycystic ovary syndrome: current perspectives.Int J Womens Health. 2015;7:745-63. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S70314
Pan ML, Chen LR, Chen KH.The risk of subsequent miscarriage in pregnant women with prior polycystic ovarian syndrome: A nationwide population-based study.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(16):8253. doi:10.3390/ijerph18168253.
Diamanti-Kandarakis E, Dunaif A.Insulin resistance and the polycystic ovary syndrome revisited: an update on mechanisms and implications.Endocr Rev. 2012;33(6):981-1030. doi:10.1210/er.2011-1034
Cleveland Clinic.Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.Aspirin use to prevent preeclampsia and related morbidity and mortality: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diabetes: who’s at risk?
Naver KV, Grinsted J, Larsen SO, et al.Increased risk of preterm delivery and pre-eclampsia in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and hyperandrogenaemia.BJOG. 2014;121(5):575-81. doi:10.1111/1471-0528.12558
Kamalanathan S, Sahoo JP, Sathyapalan T.Pregnancy in polycystic ovary syndrome.Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2013;17(1):37-43. doi:10.4103/2230-8210.107830.
Roos N, Kieler H, Sahlin L, Ekman-ordeberg G, Falconer H, Stephansson O.Risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: population based cohort study.BMJ. 2011;343:d6309. doi:10.1136/bmj.d6309.
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