ESA-SRB-AOTA 2019

Perinatal mental health in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (#553)

Chau Thien Tay 1 2 , Helena Teede 1 2 , Jacqueline Boyle 1 , Jayashri Kulkarni 3 , Deborah Loxton 4 , Anju Joham 1 2
  1. Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, Clayton, VIC, Australia
  2. Department of Diabetes and Vascular Medicine, Monash Health, Clayton, VIC, Australia
  3. The Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  4. Research Centre for Generational Health and Ageing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia

Background: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have many risk factors associated with perinatal mental disorders such as pre-existing mental health disorders, infertility and obstetric complications. However, little is known about perinatal mental health in women with PCOS. We aimed to examine the prevalence of common perinatal mental disorders in women with PCOS and study the relationship between PCOS and common perinatal disorders.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 5239 women (PCOS: n=436; non-PCOS: n=4803) born between 1973-78 from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health. Main outcomes measured were self-reported antenatal depression, antenatal anxiety, postnatal depression and postnatal anxiety. Main exposure was self-reported PCOS status. Other important factors examined included body mass index, reproductive history (miscarriage, infertility, assisted reproductive treatment etc.) and obstetric complications (gestational diabetes, hypertension in pregnancy, pre-term labour, small or large for gestational age etc.). χ2 tests were used to examine the differences in prevalence between groups whereas logistic regression analyses were performed to examined the relationship between PCOS and perinatal mental disorders.

Results: Compared to women not reporting PCOS, women reporting PCOS had higher prevalence of any perinatal mental disorders (33.5% vs 23.8%), antenatal depression (8.9% vs 4.4%), antenatal anxiety (11.7% vs 5.6%), postnatal depression (26.8% vs 18.6%) and postnatal anxiety (18.4% vs 12.0%). PCOS was significantly associated with increased odds for perinatal mental disorders in crude analysis (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3-2.0) and after controlling for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, body mass index, reproductive history and obstetric complications (adjusted OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2-2.0).

Conclusion and relevance: There is a high prevalence of common perinatal mental disorders in PCOS. Aligned with recent international guidelines, increased awareness and screening for mental health disorders is important in PCOS and here we emphasize the importance of this during the perinatal period.