ResearcherID - CLICK HERE Scientific Journal Impact Factor (SJIF-2020) - CLICK HERE

A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF HIGH BMI AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH FERTILITY IN WOMEN IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

Abeer Hamed Hawsawi

Background: Women’s fertility has an essential role in preserving the human species. It determines women’s ability to successfully conceive, maintain a pregnancy and deliver a healthy infant. Numerous factors, such as genetics, physical conditions and psychosocial lifestyle, influence fertility in women. This study focused on the effect of overweight on gestation because being overweight has been suggested to have numerous effects that may impair fertility, gestation and foetal development. Objective: This systematised literature review was conducted to investigate the association between a high body mass index and fertility in women in the United Kingdom. This investigation included how the body mass index affects pregnancy and foetal health and development. Methods: During the review, a systematic search for relevant study articles was conducted in online databases including Cochrane Library, Science Direct, CINAHL, and MEDLINE. Set inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to the most relevant studies that were retrieved. After a critical appraisal of the identified studies using the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines, 18 studies were considered germane. Results: The selected studies included six randomised control trials (RCT), six retrospective studies, three prospective studies, two longitudinal studies and one cross-sectional survey. After an extensive analysis, it was discovered that a high body mass index affects fertility in women by influencing pregnancy and foetal development. The definition adopted for a high body mass index for this review was any body mass index above 30 kg/m2. Women in this category experienced increased miscarriages, delayed pregnancy, a higher risk for pregnancy complications, endometrial dysfunction, hormonal imbalance, and irregular menstrual cycles. A high body mass index is also associated with increased chances of foetal abnormalities, such as small-for-gestation babies and low birth weights. Conclusion and recommendation: A high body mass index hinders fertility in women by impairing their ability to conceive and maintain a pregnancy and also foetal health and development. This review recommends urgent institutionalisation of weight management programmes to assist women of reproductive age in the United Kingdom to maintain a healthy weight and thereby improve their fertility, particularly those who are attending antenatal clinics or are preparing for assisted conception.

FULL TEXT