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Objective. To describe patient characteristics according to different diagnostic criteria in early pregnancy, in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Design. Descriptive, cross-sectional study of 257 women with PCOS in the first trimester of pregnancy. Setting. Data from a multicenter trial at the time of inclusion. Population. 257 PCOS women with singleton pregnancies. Methods. Investigator-administrated questionnaires were filled out. Clinical examination was performed by the investigators. Fasting blood samples were collected. Main outcome measures. Biometric data, androgens, glucose and insulin levels. Results. Women who met the National Institutes of Health (NIH) criteria for PCOS had higher body mass index (BMI), testosterone, dehydroepiandrostenedione, free testosterone index (FTI) and insulin levels compared with those who only met the Rotterdam consensus criteria. Adjusted for age and BMI, only testosterone and FTI were higher in those who met the NIH criteria. BMI was a strong, independent predictor of both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in early PCOS pregnancy, while both FTI and fasting insulin were independent predictors of systolic blood pressure. Twenty-two (9%) of the participants had gestational diabetes mellitus in the first trimester of pregnancy. Conclusions. In the first trimester, PCOS women diagnosed according to NIH criteria were more metabolically and endocrinologically abnormal compared with those who only met the Rotterdam consensus criteria. BMI and FTI were independent predictive factors for blood pressure. There was a high prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in early PCOS pregnancies.

Context: Metformin is widely prescribed to pregnant women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in an attempt to reduce pregnancy complications. Metformin is not approved for this indication, and evidence for this practice is lacking. Objectives: Our objective was to test the hypothesis that metformin, from first trimester to delivery, reduces pregnancy complications in women with PCOS. Design and Setting: We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter study at 11 secondary care centers. Participants: The participants were 257 women with PCOS, in the first trimester of pregnancy, aged 18–42 yr. Intervention: We randomly assigned 274 singleton pregnancies (in 257 women) to receive metformin or placebo, from first trimester to delivery. Main Outcome Measures: The prevalence of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, preterm delivery, and a composite of these three outcomes is reported. Results: Preeclampsia prevalence was 7.4% in the metformin group and 3.7% in the placebo group (3.7%; 95% CI, −1.7–9.2) (P = 0.18). Preterm delivery prevalence was 3.7% in the metformin group and 8.2% in the placebo group (−4.4%; 95%, CI, −10.1–1.2) (P = 0.12). Gestational diabetes mellitus prevalence was 17.6% in the metformin group and 16.9% in the placebo group (0.8%; 95% CI, −8.6–10.2) (P = 0.87). The composite primary endpoint prevalence was 25.9 and 24.4%, respectively (1.5%; 95% CI, −8.9–11.3) (P = 0.78). Women in the metformin group gained less weight during pregnancy compared with those in the placebo group. There was no difference in fetal birth weight between the groups. Conclusions: Metformin treatment from first trimester to delivery did not reduce pregnancy complications in PCOS.