Can a mother's polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)-related symptoms be used to predict the future clinical profile of PCOS in her adolescent daughter? A pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to establish whether a mother's polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) symptoms can predict her daughter's future PCOS clinical profile.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study of 57 adolescents who attended a paediatric gynaecology clinic between 2017 and 2019 and had an established diagnosis of PCOS according to the 2018 criteria of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. A clinical examination and pelvic ultrasound were performed and the level of total testosterone was measured. A structured questionnaire concerning PCOS symptoms was completed by the girls' mothers.


RESULTS
It was found that 51% of girls with PCOS and 44% of their mothers had an elevated body mass index (BMI), and 35% of girls had an increased waist-hip ratio (>0.85). The mother's BMI significantly predicted her daughter's BMI and waist-hip ratio. It was reported that 40% of mothers had experienced menstrual irregularities, 50% hirsutism and 67% acne, and 12% had a confirmed diagnosis of PCOS.


CONCLUSION
Our study population had several markers of poor metabolic health (increased BMI and waist-hip ratio) that were passed down from mother to daughter. No direct link was found between a mother's PCOS symptoms and those of her adolescent daughter. In order to establish definitive links between the symptoms of a mother and those of her daughter, a more comprehensive study should be conducted using a larger study sample. Additionally, a follow-up assessment of our studied adolescents would be appropriate to evaluate the progress of their symptoms.
['Lidaka|Lasma|L|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5688-2247', 'Grasmane|Adele|A|https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6602-3852', 'Lazdane|Gunta|G|https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1839-9454', 'Dzivite-Krisane|Iveta|I|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3045-7904', 'Gailite|Linda|L|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7219-1294', 'Viberga|Ilze|I|']
D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D015992:Body Mass Index D002648:Child D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D005260:Female D006801:Humans D024821:Metabolic Syndrome D008875:Middle Aged D009035:Mothers D009679:Nuclear Family D010865:Pilot Projects D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome D018570:Risk Assessment D013739:Testosterone
polycystic ovary syndrome Adolescents mother–daughter correlation