High body mass index and altered androgen hormones are the disruptors of fertility among women undergoing ART

Abstract

Background: The body mass index (BMI) affects reproduction and pregnancy outcomes. Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive despite having frequent, unprotected sex for at least one year. The inability to have children affects men and women across the globe.Methods: It was a retrospective study on couples coming for treatment of subfertility in Lahore Institute of Fertility and Endocrinology (LIFE). The institutional ethical review committee approved. Patients are divided into three groups, normal weight (BMI ≤25kg/m²), overweight (26-30 kg/m²), and obese (>30 kg/m²). Data were collected from July 2017 to May 2018. The number of infertile women who underwent assisted fertilization at LIFE was 222.Results: Two hundred and twenty-two sub-fertile patients were selected. Their ages were between 25-36 years. The mean age was 31 ± 3.91 years. There was a significant relationship between the number of follicles and BMI (p-value=0.03). Outcome parameters are significantly correlated with all groups of BMI. Embryo transfer is insignificantly correlated with BMI. (p-value = 0.07)Conclusion: According to this study, obesity is associated with poor embryos in obese women with more than 30 BMI. Furthermore, women who were obese might need a higher dose of FSH, and the live birth rate is higher in women with normal BMI.