Obesity and Infertility

The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide. Obesity hasmany negative effects on system performance and organs, includingthe human reproductive system. Obese women undergodisturbances of the hypothalamic-pituitary- ovarian axis, and frequently suffer of menstrual dysfunction leading to anovulationand infertility. Moreover, in obesity the adipocytes act asendocrine organ. The adipose tissue indeed, releases a numberof bioactive molecules, namely adipokines that variably interactwith multiple molecular pathways of insulin resistance, inflammation,hypertension, cardiovascular risk, coagulation, andoocyte differentiation and maturation. Moreover, endometrialimplantation and other reproductive functions are affected inobese women with complications including delayed conceptions,increased miscarriage rate, reduced outcomes in assistedconception treatments. Weight loss programs through lifestylemodification in obese women, have been proven to restoremenstrual cyclicity and ovulation and improve the likelihoodof conception.In men, obesity and metabolic syndrome are known as an infertilityfactor. Three main biological mechanisms linking obesityto impaired male reproductive function: hypogonadism, testicularheat stress/hypoxia-induced apoptosis and endocrine disruptionby environmental toxins.With increasing the prevalence of obesity and its impact on the fertilityof women and men, infertility treatment team, needs to betterunderstand the pathogenesis mechanisms for more awareness anddevelop effective ways of preventing and treating obesity.