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Scholars Journal of Applied Medical Sciences (SJAMS) ISSN 2320-6691 (Online)
Sch. J. App. Med. Sci., 2016; 4(1A):28-33 ISSN 2347-954X (Print)
©Scholars Academic and Scientific Publisher
(An International Publisher for Academic and Scientific Resources)
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Original Research Article
A Study on Vitamin D Condition in Infertile Women in Shiraz during 2014
Bahar Morshed Behbahani
1
, Azam joker
2
, Mohammad Ebrahim Parsanezhad
3
, Mohammad Hossein
Dabbaghmanesh
4
, Leila doryanizadeh
5
, Azar Nematolahi
6
, Alireza hekmat
7
1,2,5,6
Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
3
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical School, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
4
Department of Internal Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
7
Helal Institute of Applied Science, Shiraz, Iran
*Corresponding author
Azam Joker
Email:
Abstract: The main objective of Infertility is a serious problem in women’s lives and there are many reasons known for
this issue. Micronutrient deficiencies, such as vitamin D, along with disorder in fertility, are reported in some studies.
The objective in this research is to study the vitamin D condition in infertile women during their reproductive ages,
between 20 and 40 in Shiraz and determining their relation with demographic and social characteristics. In methodology
180 infertile women admitted in Qadir Mother and Child Hospital was selected through simple random sampling and
studied variables were tested in them. Also, blood sample was taken from them and their serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D
levels were measured through ELISA. In this research, the normal level for vitamin D was appointed to be greater than or
equal to 30 ng/ml and the serum level lower than 30 ng/ml was considered to be the deficit level. In results research
findings suggested that among the 180 studied women, 95 (52.79%) of them had a vitamin D deficiency and 85 (47.22%)
of them had normal level of vitamin D. The lowest level of vitamin D in studied women was 21.4 ng/ml and the highest
level of that was 43.80 ng/ml. There was no significant difference observed between vitamin D condition and indices of
age, education background, birthplace, job, physical exercise and income. Also, there was no significant difference found
between vitamin D condition and weight, height and body mass index. In conclusion according to the findings, more than
half of the infertile women had a vitamin deficiency and this could be considered as a problem for their fertility health
and the deficiency is not due to the individuals’ socioeconomic situation. Hence, focusing on preventive measures and
early treatment seems to be of significance.
Keywords: vitamin D, infertility, demographic characteristics.
INTRODUCTION:
Infertility is one of the most common problems
among human societies and according to the estimations
of World Health Organization, 60-80 million couples
are suffering from this problem, worldwide [1]. There
has been many reasons mentioned for infertility in
women and micronutrient deficiencies are reported to
be among these factors. In some studies, a negative
relation between vitamin D level and success in fertility
has been reported.
Vitamin D is one of the fat-soluble vitamins
which was discovered in 1930 and named calciferol [2].
Factors such as age, skin pigmentation, obesity,
physical activity, seasonal changes, sunlight and
receiving nutrients could impact the blood vitamin D
level. Skin pigmentation impacts the vitamin D level
[3].
Vitamin D deficiency is described as the cause
of metabolic bone diseases such as rickets,
osteomalacia, osteoporosis and finally weakness and
loss of muscle mass, but recent information has
revealed the impact of this vitamin deficiency in
decreased immune system, especially forming
pneumonia in children, decrease in fertility, increase in
age at menarche, decrease in insulin response to
glucose, decrease in cardiac contractility, hypertension
and infertility [4].
The major part of the vitamin D is transformed
to skin due to the UV radiation. Vitamin D is found in
foods such as fatty fish species and egg. Moderate
amount of vitamin D is derived from food resources
such as fatty fish species or supplements [4].
High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is
among the main health issues in today’s world. During