Placental steroidogenesis in pregnant women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Objective: To evaluate the placental activity of steroid sulfatase (STS), 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (3β-HSD-1) and P450 aromatase (P450arom) in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) compared to normal pregnant women.

Design: Twenty pregnant women with PCOS and 30 control pregnant women who delivered at term were studied. Samples of placental tissue and cord blood were obtained after delivery. A maternal blood sample was obtained during the 34th week of gestation. In placental tissue, the activities of STS, 3β-HSD-1 and P450arom were evaluated. In the blood samples, progesterone, DHEAS, DHEA, androstenedione, testosterone, estrone, estradiol and total estriol were determined.

Result: In placental tissue from women with PCOS, higher 3β-HSD-1 and lower P450 aromatase activities were observed compared to control women. Moreover, women with PCOS showed higher androstenedione and testosterone concentrations compared to normal pregnant women (p=0.016 and p=0.025, respectively). In cord blood, female newborns of women with PCOS exhibited lower androstenedione and higher estriol concentrations compared to daughters of control women (p=0.038; p=0.031, respectively).

Conclusion: These data suggest that placental tissue from women with PCOS shows changes in the activities of two important enzymes for steroid synthesis, higher 3β-HSD-1 and lower P450, which could increase androgen production during pregnancy.