Reproductive hormone metabolism in women with infertility due to polycystic ovary syndrome depending on the constitutional body types.

Abstract

Overweight or obesity is diagnosed in approximately 60-80% of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients. Since obesity exacerbates the hormonal and clinical features of PCOS, and women suffering from PCOS have a high risk of obesity, we suggest that hormonal imbalance resulting in certain body features can be linked to the pathogenesis of PCOS. AIM: The aim of the study was to define the features of the reproductive hormone metabolism in women with infertility due to PCOS depending on the constitutional body types. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study involved 100 women aged 25-39 years with infertility due to PCOS (experimental group) and 30 women of the same age with infertility due to tubal-peritoneal causes (control group). Infertility due to PCOS was diagnosed according to the Rotterdam criteria. Waist-hip ratio (WHR) was used to characterize the distribution of adipose tissue in overweight and obese patients. Hormone levels in blood serum were determined by ELISA using the «Diagnostic Systems Laboratories, Inc.» test systems (USA). RESULTS: We found hormonal imbalance in women with infertility caused by PCOS: increased levels of anti-Müllerian and luteinizing hormones, estradiol and testosterone, and decreased FSH levels. Body fat distribution conformed to the gluteofemoral (gynoid) type in 6.00% of the women and abdominal (android) type in 52.00%. Analysis of the relationship between the concentration of reproductive hormones and waist-hip ratio showed a weak inverse relationship between WHR with FSH levels, as well as a direct correlation with the levels of testosterone. CONCLUSIONS: In women with infertility caused by PCOS and android type of obesity, all these changes are significant compared to the women with normal body weight. Thus, obesity exacerbates the hormonal imbalance in women with infertility caused by PCOS.