The role of PCOS in mental health and sexual function in women with obesity and a history of infertility
Authors: Karsten M D A , Wekker V , Groen H , Painter R C , Mol B W J , Laan E T M , Roseboom T J , Hoek A 
Published: October 2021

STUDY QUESTION

Do mental health and sexual function differ between women with or without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with comparable BMI and fertility characteristics?

SUMMARY ANSWER

Women with PCOS have a poorer mental quality of life than women without PCOS, but there were no differences in symptoms of depression, anxiety, physical quality of life or sexual function.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

Various studies suggest that women with PCOS have poorer mental health, such as higher symptoms of anxiety and depression with a lower quality of life, and have an impaired sexual function compared to women without PCOS. However, in most studies, BMI and infertility status differ between women with and without PCOS, which may hamper comparability.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

This study is a cross-sectional analysis of a 5-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) among women with obesity and a history of infertility.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS

Participants in this follow-up study of an RCT were women with obesity and infertility randomized to a lifestyle intervention followed by infertility treatment or prompt infertility treatment (control), stratified by ovulatory status and trial centre. In total, 173 (30.0%) women of the 577 women randomized in the initial trial participated in this follow-up study, with a mean follow-up of 5.5 years (range 3.7–7.0 years); of these women 73 had been diagnosed with PCOS and 100 did not have PCOS. Participants completed questionnaires on symptoms of anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS)), quality of life (36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36)) and sexual function (McCoy Female Sexuality Questionnaire (MFSQ)). We also compared quality of life subscale scores in women with and without PCOS and compared them to an age-matched Dutch reference population with average BMI. Effect sizes were calculated to assess the differences.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

Symptoms of anxiety and depression, physical quality of life and sexual function did not differ significantly between obese women with and without PCOS. However, women with PCOS had a worse mental quality of life summary component score (−3.60 [95% CI −6.72 to −0.56]), mainly due to a lower score on the subscale ‘role limitations due to emotional problems’ (−12.41 [95% CI −22.78 to −2.28]), compared to women without PCOS. However, compared to an age-matched Dutch reference population, the obese infertile women with and without PCOS both scored lower on almost all physical and mental quality of life subscales.

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION

These are secondary analyses of the follow-up study of the RCT. No power analysis was performed for the outcomes included in this analysis and, as our study had a relatively small sample size, the null findings could be based on insufficient power to detect small differences between the groups. Our study population had a high mean BMI (average total group 34.5 [SD ± 5.1]); therefore, our results may only be generalizable to women with obesity.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

Our results indicate that PCOS status is associated with impaired mental quality of life. Anxiety and depression, physical quality of life and sexual function in obese infertile women with PCOS seem more related to the obesity than the PCOS status.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)

The initial study and follow-up were supported by grants from: ZonMw (50-50110-96-518), the Dutch Heart Foundation (2013T085) and the European Commission (633595). The Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the UMCG received an unrestricted educational grant from Ferring pharmaceuticals BV, The Netherlands, outside the submitted work. A.H. reports consultancy for Ferring pharmaceuticals. B.W.J.M. is supported by an NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship (GNT1082548). B.W.J.M. reports consultancy for ObsEva, Merck Merck KGaA, iGenomix and Guerbet. All other authors declare no competing interests.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

The initial trial was registered on 16 November 2008 in the Dutch trial register; clinical trial registry number NTR1530.