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Association of childhood obesity with female infertility in adulthood: a 25-year follow-up study

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-19, 21:58 authored by He, Y, Jing TianJing Tian, Wendy OddyWendy Oddy, Terry DwyerTerry Dwyer, Alison VennAlison Venn
Objective: To evaluate whether childhood obesity is associated with infertility in women's reproductive-aged life.

Design: Prospective longitudinal study.

Setting: Not applicable.

Intervention(s): None.

Patient(s): A total of 1,544 girls, aged 7-15 years in 1985, and who completed questionnaires at follow-up in 2004-2006 and/or 2009-2011.

Main outcome measure(s): Infertility was defined as having difficulty conceiving (had tried for ≥12 months to become pregnant without succeeding) or having seen a doctor because of trouble becoming pregnant.

Result(s): At ages from 7-11 years, girls at both the lower and upper end of the body mass index (BMI) z score had increased risk of infertility. Compared with normal weight girls, those with obesity at ages 7-11 years were more likely in adulthood to report infertility (adjusted relative risk [aRR] = 2.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.48-5.84), difficulty conceiving (aRR = 3.89, 95% CI 1.95-7.77), or having seen a doctor because of trouble becoming pregnant (aRR = 3.65, 95% CI 1.90-7.02) after adjusting for childhood age, follow-up length, highest parental education, and marital status.

Conclusion(s): Childhood obesity before 12 years of age appears to increase the risk of female infertility in later life.

History

Publication title

Fertility and Sterility

Volume

110

Issue

4

Pagination

596-604.e1

ISSN

0015-0282

Department/School

Menzies Institute for Medical Research

Publisher

Elsevier Science Inc

Place of publication

360 Park Ave South, New York, USA, Ny, 10010-1710

Rights statement

Copyright 2018 American Society for Reproductive Medicine

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Preventive medicine

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