Body Mass Index-Related Alterations in Gonadotropin Secretion Among Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Compared with Healthy Controls

Aim

To investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and gonadotropin secretion, including serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and the LH/FSH ratio, among women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and to compare these parameters with healthy women. Patients and methods: This comparative cross-sectional analytical study included 400 women aged 18-35 years recruited from outpatient gynecology and endocrinology clinics at private-sector medical centers in Irbid, Jordan, between June 2025 and April 2026. The study included 200 women diagnosed with PCOS according to the Rotterdam criteria and 200 age-comparable healthy controls. The PCOS group was stratified into four BMI categories (<25, 25-<28, 28-<31, and ≥31 kg/m2), with 50 women in each category. Clinical and anthropometric characteristics were assessed, and serum LH and FSH concentrations were measured. The LH/FSH ratio was calculated for each participant. Differences between groups were evaluated using appropriate statistical tests, while one-way analysis of variance was used to compare PCOS subgroups according to BMI. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to assess associations between BMI and gonadotropin parameters.