Korean Journal of Fertility and Sterility  2002;29(3):209-214

Clinical Consideration of Obese Infertile Women.

Yoon Sung NAM ; Chang Jin JEONG ; Nam Keun KIM ; Tae Ki YOON ; Kwang Yul CHA

Keywords

Obesity; Infertility

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characteristics of obese infertile women. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Height, weight, body mass index, menstrual pattern, glucose, insulin, glucose / insulin ratio, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), testosterone, free testosterone and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) of 15 obese infertile women were tested. RESULTS: Of 15 obese infertile women, the number of diabetes mellitus, hyperinsulinemia, and insulin resistance was 2 (13%), 2 (13%), 2 (13%), respectively. The incidence of increased DHEA-S, testosterone, and free testosterone was 7 (47%), 1 (7%), 6 (40%), respectively. Notably, all patients showed increased PAI-1. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity is associated with infertility as well as many kinds of health problems. Obesity is closely related to insulin resistance and it also causes hyperandrogenism. Increased PAI-1 is one of the important causes of thrombophilia. Consequently, in the workup of obese infertile patient, many aspects of health problems should be considered.