Evaluation of in vitro fertilization planned patients in terms of internist perspective

Abstract

Objective: Infertility is defined as the inability to become pregnant after a year of unprotected intercourse and is a growing problem worldwide, with an incidence of 15% among couples. In our study, women with a diagnosis of infertility and who were scheduled for in vitro fertilization (IVF) were assessed for medical problems that may be the cause of their infertility. Thus, this study aimed to determine whether the report by the Board of Health, which is mandatory in some institutions, is beneficial in terms of internal medicine in patients scheduled for IVF. Materials and Methods: The study group included 120 women scheduled for IVF and consulted the Department of Internal Medicine as well as 35 control women in a similar age group. Their medical history, drug use, and smoking status were recorded. Blood pressure, body height, and body weight were measured. Biochemical measurements including complete blood count and fasting blood glucose, creatinine, liver enzyme, fasting insulin, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were performed. Results: Smoking was found to increase infertility risk by 2.63-fold. There was a significant difference in body mass index between the patient and control groups (p=0.045). Conclusion: Assisted reproductive techniques, particularly IVF, are widely used in many public and private health institutions for couples who are admitted to reproductive health units with infertility. In our study, body weight and body mass index were found to affect infertility. We believe that early recognition and improvement of modifiable factors may improve pregnancy outcomes.