Is the ovarian reserve influenced by vitamin D deficiency and the dress code in an infertile Iranian population?

Abstract Background In the recent years, vitamin D has become a topical subject and a focus of research not only in reproductive medicine but across many medical disciplines. In reproductive medicine, studies have identified an association between vitamin D status in women and ovarian reserve. In hu...

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Main Authors: Soheila Arefi, Gholamreza Khalili, Homa Iranmanesh, Fattaneh Farifteh, Ahmad Hosseini, Human M. Fatemi, Barbara Lawrenz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2018-07-01
Series:Journal of Ovarian Research
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13048-018-0435-7
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author Soheila Arefi
Gholamreza Khalili
Homa Iranmanesh
Fattaneh Farifteh
Ahmad Hosseini
Human M. Fatemi
Barbara Lawrenz
author_facet Soheila Arefi
Gholamreza Khalili
Homa Iranmanesh
Fattaneh Farifteh
Ahmad Hosseini
Human M. Fatemi
Barbara Lawrenz
author_sort Soheila Arefi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background In the recent years, vitamin D has become a topical subject and a focus of research not only in reproductive medicine but across many medical disciplines. In reproductive medicine, studies have identified an association between vitamin D status in women and ovarian reserve. In humans, exposure of the skin to sunlight is the main important source of vitamin D. A dress code of wearing concealing clothing is a risk factor for vitamin D deficiency. The objective of this prospective observational study was to evaluate the correlation between vitamin D deficiency and ovarian reserve in a population of infertile women in Iran. As part of the basic fertility assessment of study participants, blood tests were taken to measure vitamin D concentration and transvaginal ultrasound scans were performed on day 2–5 of the cycle to determine antral follicle count (AFC). All study participants were assessed by a reproductive medicine specialist and consultant dermatologist to classify their skin types according to the Fitzpatrick classification. In addition, the dress code of each study participant was recorded noting the percentage of exposed skin not covered by concealing clothing. Results 189 infertility patients were included in this study. The mean concentration of vitamin D in this study population was 15.46 ng/ml, indicating severe vitamin D deficiency. A statistically significant negative correlation between age and vitamin D (p = 0.008) and age and AFC (p = 0.001) was identified. This study revealed a highly significant correlation between vitamin D concentrations and AFC (p < 0.001). Conclusions A concealing dress code is an independent risk factor for vitamin D deficiency due to a lack of skin exposure to sunlight. Our study suggests that the so caused severe vitamin D deficiency may play a crucial role in reduced ovarian reserve in the herein described group of an infertile female Iranian population.
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spelling doaj.art-a0e8e63bcca44279a17f2c31a35b57412023-01-02T00:43:51ZengBMCJournal of Ovarian Research1757-22152018-07-011111610.1186/s13048-018-0435-7Is the ovarian reserve influenced by vitamin D deficiency and the dress code in an infertile Iranian population?Soheila Arefi0Gholamreza Khalili1Homa Iranmanesh2Fattaneh Farifteh3Ahmad Hosseini4Human M. Fatemi5Barbara Lawrenz6Avicenna Research Institute, ACECRDepartment of Epidemiology and Reproductive Health, Reproductive Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECRSarem Infertility Center, Sarem Women’s HospitalCellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical scienceCellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical scienceIVF department, IVI RMA Middle-East Fertility ClinicIVF department, IVI RMA Middle-East Fertility ClinicAbstract Background In the recent years, vitamin D has become a topical subject and a focus of research not only in reproductive medicine but across many medical disciplines. In reproductive medicine, studies have identified an association between vitamin D status in women and ovarian reserve. In humans, exposure of the skin to sunlight is the main important source of vitamin D. A dress code of wearing concealing clothing is a risk factor for vitamin D deficiency. The objective of this prospective observational study was to evaluate the correlation between vitamin D deficiency and ovarian reserve in a population of infertile women in Iran. As part of the basic fertility assessment of study participants, blood tests were taken to measure vitamin D concentration and transvaginal ultrasound scans were performed on day 2–5 of the cycle to determine antral follicle count (AFC). All study participants were assessed by a reproductive medicine specialist and consultant dermatologist to classify their skin types according to the Fitzpatrick classification. In addition, the dress code of each study participant was recorded noting the percentage of exposed skin not covered by concealing clothing. Results 189 infertility patients were included in this study. The mean concentration of vitamin D in this study population was 15.46 ng/ml, indicating severe vitamin D deficiency. A statistically significant negative correlation between age and vitamin D (p = 0.008) and age and AFC (p = 0.001) was identified. This study revealed a highly significant correlation between vitamin D concentrations and AFC (p < 0.001). Conclusions A concealing dress code is an independent risk factor for vitamin D deficiency due to a lack of skin exposure to sunlight. Our study suggests that the so caused severe vitamin D deficiency may play a crucial role in reduced ovarian reserve in the herein described group of an infertile female Iranian population.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13048-018-0435-7Dress codeVitamin D deficiencyOvarian reserveSkin-type
spellingShingle Soheila Arefi
Gholamreza Khalili
Homa Iranmanesh
Fattaneh Farifteh
Ahmad Hosseini
Human M. Fatemi
Barbara Lawrenz
Is the ovarian reserve influenced by vitamin D deficiency and the dress code in an infertile Iranian population?
Journal of Ovarian Research
Dress code
Vitamin D deficiency
Ovarian reserve
Skin-type
title Is the ovarian reserve influenced by vitamin D deficiency and the dress code in an infertile Iranian population?
title_full Is the ovarian reserve influenced by vitamin D deficiency and the dress code in an infertile Iranian population?
title_fullStr Is the ovarian reserve influenced by vitamin D deficiency and the dress code in an infertile Iranian population?
title_full_unstemmed Is the ovarian reserve influenced by vitamin D deficiency and the dress code in an infertile Iranian population?
title_short Is the ovarian reserve influenced by vitamin D deficiency and the dress code in an infertile Iranian population?
title_sort is the ovarian reserve influenced by vitamin d deficiency and the dress code in an infertile iranian population
topic Dress code
Vitamin D deficiency
Ovarian reserve
Skin-type
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13048-018-0435-7
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