Obesity and psychological wellbeing in patients undergoing fertility treatment

Abstract

Obesity negatively affects reproductive functioning and psychological wellbeing. Distress experienced by infertile women with elevated body mass index (BMI) was investigated. Infertile women (n = 403) were stratified according to World Health Organization (2000) BMI categories (normal, overweight and obese) and infertility category (polycystic ovary syndrome [PCOS] or non-PCOS). Participants anonymously completed a Demographics Questionnaire, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale, Fertility Problem Inventory, Clinical Perfectionism Questionnaire and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire. Women in the obese BMI group were no more psychologically vulnerable to general mood (depression, anxiety and stress) or fertility-specific distress than normal or overweight BMI women. Independent of their PCOS status, obese women reported more frequent episodes of binge eating, shape concerns and low self-esteem symptoms associated with disordered eating. Women with PCOS had elevated shape concerns and anxiety independent of their BMI category compared with women who did not have PCOS. Obese infertile women presenting with the characteristics of binge eating, low self-esteem and body shape concerns may represent a vulnerable subgroup that could benefit from accessing targeted psychological interventions as do women with PCOS who have body shape concerns.

Psychological and emotional concomitants of infertility diagnosis in women with diminished ovarian reserve or anatomical cause of infertility

“…Such high levels of selfesteem are often thought to reflect the participants' high level of education. Nevertheless, infertility distress among women in this study with a diagnosis of DOR was lower than reported in a sample of women with recurrent implantation failure after IVF (34), lower than women with recurrent pregnancy loss (34), and lower than a cohort of PCOS patients (35).…”

Desire for a child and eating disorders in women seeking infertility treatment

“…Almost one quarter of our participants were overweight and 15% obese. These results are in line with those obtained by Rodino et al [28]. As previously reported, a high BMI does not automatically indicate a BED [4].…”

Fat Mass and Obesity Association gene Polymorphism in PCOS Iraqi Women

“…Furthermore, no significant differences were remarked between non-obese PCOS and non-obese non PCOS women. The only significant differences in blood sugar level, after one hour of taking 100 ml of glucose solution, was between obese PCOS women and obese non-PCOS women which they (7). Sex hormones that control the ovulation, menstruation and fertility were investigated in this study and hormones levels are shown in Table 3.…”

“…The main features of this syndrome are oligo/anovulation, and disturbance in androgen hormones leading to different ranges of hirsutism, weight gain, acne, and amenorrhea according to Rotterdam criteria (4,5). Overweight or being obese with body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m 2 is a vigorous risk factor leading to PCOS women in around the age of 30 (5,6,7), in addition to represent a risk factor to cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus type 2, hypertension and several types of cancers (8). Obesity and PCOS are multifactorial diseases resulting from the interaction of genetics, metabolic, hormones, patient's life style, eating habits and psychological behavior (9).…”