Higher menopausal age but no differences in parity in women with polycystic ovary syndrome compared with controls.

INTRODUCTION: To address the question of whether women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) reach the menopause later than age-matched controls, we conducted a follow-up cohort study of women with well-characterized PCOS that was diagnosed 24 years ago. The hypothesis was that women with PCOS would reach the menopause later than non-PCOS women. Parity during these 24 years was also studied.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-seven women, diagnosed with PCOS in 1992 (mean age 29.5 years) were re-examined in 2016 (mean age 52.4 years). Randomly selected women, n = 94 (mean age 52.4 years), from the same geographical area, included in the World Health Organization MONICA study, Gothenburg, Sweden, served as controls.

RESULTS: The mean menopausal age in women with PCOS was higher than in controls (53.3 ± 2.2 vs. 49.3 ± 3.5 years, p < 0.01). Serum-follicle stimulating hormone levels were lower in the PCOS women than in controls (31.0 ± 28.1 vs. 52.3 ± 37.7 IU/L, p = 0.01). There was no difference in parity between women with PCOS (1.9 ± 1.3 children, range 0-4) and controls (1.7 ± 1.0, range 0-4 children).

CONCLUSIONS: Women with PCOS reached the menopause four years later, and had lower serum-follicle stimulating hormone than age-matched controls. Neither parity nor nulliparity differed between women with PCOS and controls. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.