Women who suffer from this disease could carry pregnancies in later age, new research says

A file photo of a group of middle aged women. (Pexels/olia danilevich)

New research suggests that because women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) experience menopause much later in life – around their mid-40s – than those without it, they could have “prolonged ovarian function” – or in other words, allow later pregnancies.

The research published in Obstetrics & Gynaecology last month found that fewer women with PCOS were experiencing peri- and post-menopausal symptoms by the age of 46, compared to others. Only three per cent were reaching perimenopause by that age.

“Women with PCOS more often reported having regular menstrual cycles and had a lower risk of menopausal symptoms at age 46, even after adjusting for body mass index, education, and smoking status,” the study said.

“Hot flashes and sleep disturbances were less frequent among women with PCOS, but there were no differences in other menopause-related symptoms.”

PCOS is a complex, endocrine and metabolic disorder that affects women, symptoms of which include anovulation (dysfunction of the ovaries), infertility, obesity, insulin resistance, and polycystic ovaries.

This disease affects around one in 10 Canadian women, and is also associated with complications during pregnancy, heart disease and a decreased quality of life, according to the Women & Children Health Research Institute.

However, despite their menopause-related symptoms being delayed, it did not extend to fewer affective symptoms or memory problems, less sexual dysfunction, muscle or joint pain.

“One possible explanation for this outcome is that women with PCOS are well-known to experience multimorbidity, with overlapping symptoms that could mimic menopausal symptoms,” the research said.

“The results suggest that women with PCOS experience delayed menopausal transition with longer exposure to natural estrogens, which could confer health benefits to these women.”

Women suffering from this disease have also often reported experiencing severe depression, anxiety, obstructive sleep apnea, body image difficulties, and psychosexual dysfunction.

The study does note that it had some limitations, since a “significant” number of participants had not yet reached perimenopause, and the population is also ethnically homogenous, making the findings potentially ill-fitting for women with other ethnic backgrounds.

Methodology:

The study population was drawn from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. In 1997, during the 31-year follow-up, questionnaires were mailed to all living female cohort members with a known address in Finland (n= 5608), with an 81 per cent response rate (n= 4523). Additionally, women living in Northern Finland or the Helsinki metropolitan area (n= 4074) were invited to a clinical examination, with 77 per cent (n= 3127) participation.

In 2012, at the 46-year follow-up, questionnaires regarding health—including menopausal symptoms, aspects of menstrual cyclicity, behavior, work, and social background—were mailed to all living female cohort members (n= 5123), along with an invitation to a clinical examination. Of these women, 72 per cent (n= 3706) responded to the questionnaire, and 64 per cent (n= 3280) participated in the clinical examination.