Introduction:

Infertility is a condition wherein there is no pregnancy within 1 year despite regular sexual intercourse without birth control. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and chronic long-term health problems in infertile female patients.

Methods:

This cross-sectional and analytical study was retrospectively conducted on 701 women who applied to family medicine outpatient clinic and received a medical report with the complaint of female infertility. The weight, height, waist circumference, blood pressure, and laboratory results of subjects were recorded from the information in the files. MetS was diagnosed according to the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) guideline.

Results:

The mean age of the 701 infertile women in the study was 29.9±4.4 (20–42) years; 81.6% (n=572) were housewives and 56.8% (n=398) completed primary school and were undergraduates. Of the patients, 78.9% (n=553) were admitted due to primary infertility. The incidence of MetS was 19.8% in the subjects of this study. The risk of MetS was 6,389 times higher in obese than in non-obese individuals [odds ratio (OR)=6,389; %95 confidence interval (CI): (4,260–9,581)], and this difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). The most common MetS components were triglyceride elevation (59.6%) and fasting blood glucose (55.0%). MetS was detected in 50.3% of hypertensive patients. Of the participants, 22.8% had hypothyroidism and 2.7% were found to have brucella seropositivity.

Conclusion:

Obesity, long-term health problems, smoking, and some infectious diseases, which are among the replaceable factors associated with infertility, should be excluded before infertility treatment. Healthy lifestyle changes such as well-balanced and correct nutrition, physical activity, giving up smoking and alcohol will reduce the risk of obesity and increase the chances of infertility treatment.

Keywords: Metabolic syndrome, female ınfertility, obesit