Polycystic ovaries in women with gestational diabetes

Objective: To examine the occurrence of polycystic ovaries (PCO) in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: This was a retrospective comparative study of ultrasonographic findings of ovaries in 31 women with GDM and 30 healthy controls matched according to maternal age and body mass index (BMI). Women who presented evidence of impaired glucose tolerance during pregnancy were excluded from the control group. Transvaginal ultrasonographic examination was performed during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, after breast-feeding had been discontinued. Results: Polycystic ovary was a more frequent finding among women with GDM than among controls: 14 women with GDM (44%) and two controls exhibited PCO. No differences were found in BMI before pregnancy or in the weight gain during pregnancy between the groups. No difference was observed in the mean birth weight of the infants between the study groups. Conclusion: Polycystic ovaries were a common finding among women with GDM. The data suggest that women with PCO are at risk for developing GDM and should be screened accordingly. (C) 1998 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.