Metabolic Syndrome and Infertility in Women

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder in women and it affects approximately 5%-8% of premenopausal women. Metabolic syndrome has been reported in the reproductive literature to fall under a cluster of endocrine disturbances, including hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance. Literature findings have demonstrated that conditions of negative energy balance and metabolic stress, such as diabetes mellitus type 1, acute inflammation, and chronic dietary restriction can affect fertility. These conditions cause hypogonadism by suppressing the expression of the hypothalamic KiSS or kisspeptin. Diabetes affects reproductive function in women. The objective of the current review is to explore the correlation between metabolic syndrome and infertility in women. To achieve this, a review of literature studies between 2007 and 2015 was undertaken to evaluate current evidence-based practice on the topic. Keywords, such as metabolic disorders, women fertility, and reproduction were used to search for data from PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, ERIC, and EMBASE databases. The inclusion and exclusion criteria was based on the appropriateness of the research design in reference of research objectives, risks of bias, statistical issues, quality reporting, choice of measures of outcome, quality of intervention, and studies conducted between 2007 and 2015. The results from the highest evidence available confirm that metabolic disorders have adverse impacts on the reproductive health of women, and specifically their fertility. Metabolic disorders like hyperlipidemia, obesity, and diabetes can directly or indirectly affect the fertility of women through the interruption of either the ovarian functions or the pituitary-hypothalamic functions. Furthermore, metabolic disorders increase the risks of cervical and endometrial cancers in women that hamper the reproductive health and fertility of women.