One of the main factors that can lead to more serious health concerns in those with PCOS is weight. If a woman with PCOS really struggles with her weight, other health concerns can arise, making her a high-risk patient.
Common complications associated with excess weight or obesity include:
- High blood pressure (hypertension) or pregnancy-induced high blood pressure
- Diabetes (type 2)
- Gestational diabetes
- Elevated triglycerides / low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
- Metabolic syndrome
- Infertility
- Abnormal uterine bleeding
- Uterine / endometrial cancer
- Endometrial hyperplasia (if a build-up and clearing off of the uterine lining during a period doesn’t happen each month, a precancer of the uterine lining occurs)
- Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (severe liver inflammation)
- Sleep apnoea
- Anxiety or depression
- Heart attack (coronary artery disease)
- Breast cancer
PCOS complication risks in pregnancy
A pregnancy will be considered high-risk in a PCOS sufferer and the woman in question will be referred to a specialist with experience in these cases. The expectant woman will need to be carefully monitored throughout her pregnancy so as to reduce her risk of:
- Gestational diabetes
- Miscarriage
- Premature delivery of the baby
- Having a larger or smaller than normal baby