The overall aim of the project is to explore childbirth experience and breastfeeding in women with PCOS.
Our goal is to improve health and health services for this group of women – based on evidence. Our aim is to investigate childbirth experience and breastfeeding patterns in women with PCOS.
We will compare childbirth experience and breastfeeding patterns in women with PCOS to control women.
We also plan to explore whether metformin treatment in pregnancy has any impact on childbirth experience or breastfeeding. We aim to identify risk factors and modifiable elements to inform the affected women, their partners and health personnel.
Participants
More about the project
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), affecting 10-17 percent of women at fertile age, is characterized by irregular menstruations, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovarian morphology. It often coexists with comorbidities such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and mental health issues.
Despite its prevalence and impact on pregnancy, there is a lack of acknowledgment and specific perinatal follow-up programmes. Limited clinical studies on pregnant women with PCOS hinder evidence-based guidance, and post-partum research is almost non-existent.
Breastfeeding challenges among women with PCOS have been noted, with studies linking reduced breastfeeding to metabolic disturbances. While metformin has shown benefits in reducing late miscarriages and preterm births, its influence on childbirth experience and breastfeeding remains unknown.
PCOS is a heterogeneous condition, and the Rotterdam criteria, defining PCOS through oligo-anovulation, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries, is widely used. The 2018 international evidence-based guideline encompasses all PCOS phenotypes, highlighting its prevalence and underdiagnosis.
Childbirth experience and breastfeeding in PCOS are poorly explored, impacting maternal and infant well-being. The project utilizes data from the PregMet2, LAPS, and MoBa studies to address this research gap.
The study's significance lies in addressing the lack of acknowledgment and guidelines for PCOS in perinatal care, shedding light on postnatal health, childbirth experience, and breastfeeding.
It aims to inform evidence-based practices, contribute to the understanding of PCOS-related challenges in the post-partum period, and fill the existing knowledge gaps in childbirth experiences and breastfeeding among women with PCOS in Nordic countries.
