In a nutshell
This study looked women with polycystic ovary syndrome and their male partners to see if weight, smoking and intercourse impacts live births.
Some background
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal problem in women that can lead to infertility and increased weight. PCOS can decrease the chances of achieving pregnancy and a live birth.
There have been many studies carried out in women and the factors that can influence fertility, but the male factors have not been as well studied. However, overweight and obese men have increased chances of infertility. It is not clear whether male obesity has an effect on live birth rates.
Methods & findings
710 couples were included in this study. All of the woman had PCOS and had been given medications to help them produce an egg.
Overall 34.5% of the couples became pregnant and 24% had a live birth.
77% of the couples had at least one obese partner, but a lower chance of live birth was only seen in couples where the female was obese.
In couples where both were current smokers, there was a 20% lower chance of live birth compared to nonsmokers. There was no large effect on live birth rates when only one partner smoked.
Live birth was 4.4 times more likely in couples who had intercourse at least 3 times in one month compared to those who had intercourse less often.
The bottom line
This study concluded that in women with PCOS the chances of live birth are reduced if the female is obese and if both partners smoke. Having frequent sexual intercourse can also increase the chances of having a live birth.
The fine print
The information from the men in this study was from a self-reported questionnaire. Patients can lie or make incorrect measurements when they do this themselves.
What’s next?
Discuss with your physician how to improve your chances of a successful pregnancy, such as methods to stop smoking.
Published By :
The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
Date :
Apr 09, 2015
