Premium
Prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome in a sample of Indigenous women in Darwin, Australia
Author(s) -
Boyle Jacqueline A,
Cunningham Joan,
OˈDea Kerin,
Dunbar Terry,
Norman Robert J
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/mja11.10553
Subject(s) - polycystic ovary , obesity , body mass index , anthropometry , medicine , demography , indigenous , gynecology , gerontology , insulin resistance , biology , ecology , sociology
Objective: To document the prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and its associated characteristics in a sample of urban Indigenous women. Design: A cross‐sectional survey of Indigenous women, including biochemical and anthropometric assessments. PCOS was assessed using the National Institutes of Health 1990 criteria. Setting and participants: Indigenous women, aged 15–44 years, living in a defined area in and around Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, September 2003 – March 2005. Main outcome measures: Proportion of participants with PCOS overall and measures of obesity. Results: Among 248 women eligible for assessment, the proportion who had PCOS was 15.3% (95% CI, 10.8%–19.8%). The proportion with PCOS was similar across age groups, but was significantly higher ( P = 0.001) in women with a body mass index (BMI) of ≥ 30.0 kg/m 2 (30.5%) compared with women with a BMI of 25.0–29.9 kg/m 2 (8.2%) or a BMI of < 25.0 kg/m 2 (7.0%). Conclusions: A high proportion of these Indigenous women had PCOS. The significant relationship with obesity gives a strong rationale for screening for PCOS during routine care of Indigenous women who are obese and of reproductive age.