Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2012) 29 OC16.1

ICEECE2012 Oral Communications Female Reproduction Clinical (6 abstracts)

The association between birth weight and PCOS in adult life. A register-based study on 523, 757 Danish women born 1973–1991

H. Mumm 1 , M. Kamper-Jørgensen 2 , A. Nybo Andersen 2 , D. Glintborg 1 & M. Andersen 1


1Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; 2University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.


Introduction: PCOS is characterized by insulin resistance and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Objective: To study the association between birth weight and risk of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in adult life in Danish women born 1973–1991.

Methods: Female offspring born in Denmark during 1973–1991 of Danish mothers (n=523, 757) were included and followed for a total of 4, 739, 547 person-years at risk. Information on birth weight was extracted from the Danish Medical Birth Register. The cohort was followed-up for the diagnoses hirsutism or PCOS from age 15 years until the end of 2006 in the Danish National Patient Register (NPR). Information on maternal diabetes diagnoses was also extracted from the NPR. Incidence Rate Ratios (IRR) were estimated from Poisson regression models with 95% confidence intervals (CI). All analyses were adjusted for attained age and period.

Results: The risk of PCOS was significantly increased in women with birth weight > 4500 grams (IRR =1.57 (95% CI 1.21–2.03)) compared to women with birth weight 3000–3499 grams. The risk of PCOS was independent of size for gestational age. Offspring of women with diabetes diagnoses had an increased risk of PCOS. In this population low birth weight was associated with increased risk of PCOS.

Conclusions: Our data suggest that the risk of PCOS was increased in girls with birth weight >4,500 grams. Girls born of diabetic mothers had increased risk of PCOS, but in this population low birth weight was associated with increased risk of PCOS.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.

Volume 29

15th International & 14th European Congress of Endocrinology

European Society of Endocrinology 

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