Objective:

To investigate the association between biomarkers of ferroptosis-related iron metabolism, specifically serum ferritin, serum iron, and hepcidin, and PCOS, and to explore the role of ferroptosis in pregnancy outcomes in women with PCOS.

Key Findings:

• Women with PCOS exhibited elevated serum ferritin levels and reduced serum hepcidin levels, indicating potential dysregulation of iron metabolism.
• No significant alterations were found in serum iron levels or transferrin saturation, suggesting a specific pattern of iron metabolism in PCOS.
• Ferroptosis may be linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with PCOS, warranting further investigation.

Interpretation:

The findings suggest a potential role of altered iron metabolism and ferroptosis in the pathophysiology of PCOS and its associated pregnancy complications, highlighting the need for clinical awareness.

Limitations:

• The study may be limited by the heterogeneity of included studies, which could affect the generalizability of the results.
• Potential publication bias in the meta-analysis may skew the findings.
• The retrospective nature of the case-control study may introduce confounding factors that could influence the results.

Conclusion:

The study highlights the need for further research to clarify the mechanisms linking ferroptosis and iron metabolism to PCOS and its impact on pregnancy outcomes, particularly focusing on longitudinal studies.