News | New Study: Women With PCOS Are Not Disadvantaged in Fertility Treatment
University of Queensland researchers found that women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) had the same birth rates after fertility treatment as women without the condition, offering reassurance to those concerned about fertility.
Dr. Katrina Moss of the University of Queensland School of Public Health said the findings should reassure women with PCOS. The study of 1,109 women receiving fertility treatment found no difference in birth rates between women with and without PCOS or among different treatment pathways.
Although more women with PCOS used fertility treatment, 38% compared with 13%, their birth rates were equivalent, so PCOS did not place them at a disadvantage.
PCOS affects about 10% of Australian women and can cause irregular or absent ovulation, making pregnancy more difficult. Clinical guidelines recommend stepwise treatment for PCOS-related infertility: ovulation induction (OI), followed by intrauterine insemination (IUI), and then in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Dr. Moss said most women with PCOS followed the recommended pathway. Seventy-one percent began with ovulation induction, compared with 36% of women without PCOS, and fewer women with PCOS needed to progress to IVF.
She added that noninvasive treatments such as ovulation induction were highly effective and that there was no disadvantage when further treatment was needed, indicating that clinical guidelines work well for most women.
Professor Gita Mishra of the University of Queensland School of Public Health said general practitioners can reassure women with PCOS that their chance of pregnancy is as good as anyone else's.
She noted that this might be because women with PCOS began fertility treatment earlier, at about age 31, compared with about 34 among women without PCOS; age is a key factor in success.
Women who needed more invasive treatment such as IUI or IVF were also more likely to have other reproductive barriers, including endometriosis, obesity, or older age.
Professor Mishra emphasized that clinicians and patients should consider these factors when choosing a pathway so women can begin the most effective treatment as early as possible.
The research was part of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, managed by the University of Queensland and the University of Newcastle. The researchers acknowledged funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care and thanked the women who provided survey data.
The study was published in Fertility and Sterility.
News | New Study: Women With PCOS Are Not Disadvantaged in Fertility Treatment
News | New Study: Women With PCOS Are Not Disadvantaged in Fertility Treatment
University of Queensland researchers found that women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) had the same birth rates after fertility treatment as women without the condition, offering reassurance to those concerned about fertility.
Dr. Katrina Moss of the University of Queensland School of Public Health said the findings should reassure women with PCOS. The study of 1,109 women receiving fertility treatment found no difference in birth rates between women with and without PCOS or among different treatment pathways.
Although more women with PCOS used fertility treatment, 38% compared with 13%, their birth rates were equivalent, so PCOS did not place them at a disadvantage.
PCOS affects about 10% of Australian women and can cause irregular or absent ovulation, making pregnancy more difficult. Clinical guidelines recommend stepwise treatment for PCOS-related infertility: ovulation induction (OI), followed by intrauterine insemination (IUI), and then in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Dr. Moss said most women with PCOS followed the recommended pathway. Seventy-one percent began with ovulation induction, compared with 36% of women without PCOS, and fewer women with PCOS needed to progress to IVF.
She added that noninvasive treatments such as ovulation induction were highly effective and that there was no disadvantage when further treatment was needed, indicating that clinical guidelines work well for most women.
Professor Gita Mishra of the University of Queensland School of Public Health said general practitioners can reassure women with PCOS that their chance of pregnancy is as good as anyone else's.
She noted that this might be because women with PCOS began fertility treatment earlier, at about age 31, compared with about 34 among women without PCOS; age is a key factor in success.
Women who needed more invasive treatment such as IUI or IVF were also more likely to have other reproductive barriers, including endometriosis, obesity, or older age.
Professor Mishra emphasized that clinicians and patients should consider these factors when choosing a pathway so women can begin the most effective treatment as early as possible.
The research was part of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, managed by the University of Queensland and the University of Newcastle. The researchers acknowledged funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care and thanked the women who provided survey data.
The study was published in Fertility and Sterility.
Source:
Collected online