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Ovarian Function and Disorders · Journal article
Iranian Journal of Diabetes and Metabolism · September 4, 2026
Early or partial results. Treat as a signal, not a conclusion.
This small cross-sectional study measured short-chain fatty acid concentrations in follicular fluid of 15 obese and 15 normal-weight women with PCOS, finding associations between BMI and propionate levels and between PCOS status and acetate/butyrate levels. The study is limited by small sample size, lack of healthy controls, and measurement of a biomarker rather than a clinical outcome; the authors themselves conclude further studies are needed to reach firm conclusions.
Cross-sectional observational study. Women with PCOS diagnosed by Rotterdam criteria stratified by BMI (obese vs normal-weight), matched for age and dietary intake, undergoing ovarian stimulation.. Intervention: Follicular fluid collection after ovarian stimulation. Compared with: Obese PCOS vs normal-weight PCOS. n = 30.
PCOS women with normal BMI had higher concentrations of acetate and butyrate in follicular fluid compared to obese PCOS women (p=0.01) Higher age and BMI were associated with higher propionate concentrations in follicular fluid (p=0.003 and p=0.01, respectively) Mean BMI obese group 33.4±0.7 kg/m² vs normal group 23.3±0.4 kg/m²
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This biomarker study does not yet establish clinical relevance or guide clinical management. The findings are exploratory and require replication in larger cohorts, including healthy controls, before implications for PCOS pathophysiology or treatment can be drawn.
Small, uncontrolled cross-sectional study of a biomarker (SCFA levels) in follicular fluid with no healthy control group, measuring an association rather than a clinical outcome; authors acknowledge need for further studies.
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Quoted from the source exactly as published.
This biomarker study does not yet establish clinical relevance or guide clinical management. The findings are exploratory and require replication in larger cohorts, including healthy controls, before implications for PCOS pathophysiology or treatment can be drawn.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
Background: In the present study, the levels of three short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) including acetate, propionate, and butyrate were investigated in the follicular fluid of obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in comparison with PCOS women with normal-weight. Methods: Fifteen women with PCOS diagnosed according to the Rotterdam criteria that were obese (BMI ≤30 kg/m2) and 15 women with normal-weight (Body mass index [BMI] = 18.5-24.9 kg/m2) were matched for age and dietary intake and entered the study. Follicular fluid samples were collected after ovarian stimulation and the levels of acetate, propionate, and butyrate were measured by GC/MS after esterification. Results: The mean BMI in the obese group was 33.4 ± 0.7 and in the normal group were 23.3 ± 0.4 kg/m2. PCOS women with normal BMI had higher concentrations of acetate and butyrate in the follicular fluid compared to the normal-weight (p= 0.01). Higher age and BMI were associated with higher concentrations of propionate in follicular fluid (p= 0.003 and p= 0.01, respectively). Conclusion: The concentrations of SCFAs in women with PCOS are affected by BMI. However, there is a need to conduct a study in healthy (non-patient) women to reach a concise result. One of the hypotheses could be due to changes in the follicular fluid microbiome and consequently changes in the metabolic status of these individuals. There is a need for further studies in this area to obtain more accurate results.
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