ASSOCIATION OF VITAMIN D AND INFERTILITY AMONG WOMEN
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Keywords
Infertility, Vitamin D deficiency, women
Abstract
Objectives: To evaluate the association of Vitamin D and infertility among women.
Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted at the Gynaecology Department of the Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar from November 2023 to May 2024, following approval from the hospital's ethical committee. A total of 196 patients were enrolled, with informed consent obtained from each patient or guardian. All patients were diagnosed with primary infertility. The assessment of infertility relied on self-reported duration of attempts to conceive. Blood samples (5 ml) were collected from all patients and centrifuged to obtain serum for vitamin D testing. Serum samples were sent to a standard laboratory and analyzed using the Cobas 6000 system. A predefined questionnaire was used to collect data such as sun exposure, as well as demographic information including age and BMI.
Results: The mean age of all patients were 32.63±6.47 years, with mean vitamin D level of 19.09±7.22, and a mean BMI of 20.60 kg/m² (SD 4.79). The mean monthly income was Rs 71,887.75 (SD Rs 22,925.02). Vitamin D levels were mild in 111 patients (56.6%), moderate in 65 patients (33.2%), and severe in 20 patients (10.2%). Infertility was diagnosed in 158 patients (80.6%), while 38 patients (19.4%) were fertile. The binary logistic regression model for the association between vitamin D levels and infertility found that higher vitamin D levels were linked to lower odds of infertility.
Conclusion: Female infertility and reproductive health are impacted by vitamin D deficiency. In order to improve reproductive outcomes through better vitamin D management in fertility assessments, further study is required to elucidate pathways and optimal therapies.
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Dr Sabahat Zeb Khan
Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar