Menstrual Period and Anthropometric Characteristics of Women with Secondary Infertility and Age Matched Control

Abstract

    The study investigated the anthropometric characteristics and menstrual cycle of women with secondary infertility and compared these with an aged matched control. Seventy six participants (38 women with secondary infertility and 38 aged matched fertile women participated in the study. The anthropometric parameters of weight, height, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), wrist circumference (WrC) and neck circumference (NC) were measured using standard protocol. Data was analyzed using IBM 23, descriptive and inferential statistics. Alpha level was set at 0.05. There was a significant difference in the body mass index of the women with secondary infertility and the control group (t = 4.642, p < 0.05). There was a significant difference in the waist-to-hip ratio (t = 3.496, p < 0.05) and waist to height ratio (t = 4.292, p< 0.05) of women with secondary infertility and the control group.  There was also a significant difference in the average menstrual cycle length (t = 2.702, p < 0.05).  There was a significant relationship between fertility and each of the anthropometric variables (p<0.05) except hip circumference. Those variables have a prediction of 54.8% and a predictive equation Y = 3.956 (Height) + 0.005(WC) +0.012 (NC) -0.216 (WrC) – 0.018 (Weight) – 1.076 was obtained. Women with secondary infertility carry more adiposity which contribute more that 50 % to the prediction of fertility and their menstrual cycle is longer than their fertile counterpart.