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CC BY 4.0 · Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet 2023; 45(11): e683-e688
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1772478
Original Article
Infertility

The Role of Thyroid Hormones, Vitamins, and Microelements in Female Infertility

O papel dos hormônios da tiroide, das vitaminas e dos microelementos na fertilidade feminina
Sveta Aghayeva 
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Koru Hospital Ankara, Ankara, Turkey
,
Murat Sonmezer 
2   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
,
Yavuz Emre Şükür 
2   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
,
Aytaj Jafarzade 
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Koru Hospital Ankara, Ankara, Turkey
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Abstract

Objective It is well known that female infertility is multifactorial. Therefore, we aimed to compare the effects of thyroid dysfunction, vitamin deficiency, and microelement deficiency in fertile and infertile patients.

Materials and Methods Between May 1st, 2017, and April 1st, 2019, we conducted a retrospective case-control study with of 380 infertile and 346 pregnant patients (who normally fertile and able to conceive spontaneously). The fertile patients were selected among those who got pregnant spontaneously without treatment, had a term birth, and did not have systemic or obstetric diseases. The levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO), vitamin D, vitamin B12, folic acid, ferritin, and zinc of both groups were compared.

Results There was no difference between patients in the infertile and pregnant groups in terms of low normal and high serum T3 and T4 levels (p = 0.938; p > 0.05) respectively, nor in terms of normal and high anti-TPO levels (p = 0.182; p > 0.05) respectively. There was no significant difference regarding patients with low, insufficient, and sufficient vitamin D levels in the infertile and pregnant groups (p = 0.160; p >0.05) respectively. The levels of folic acid, ferritin, and zinc of the infertile group were significantly lower than those of the pregnant group.

Conclusion The serum levels of folic acid, ferritin, and zinc in infertile patients presenting to our outpatient clinic were lower than those o the fertile patients.

Resumo

Objetivo Sabe-se que a infertilidade feminina é multifatorial. Portanto, nosso objetivo foi comparar os efeitos da disfunção tireoidiana, deficiência de vitaminas e deficiência de microelementos em pacientes férteis e inférteis.

Materiais e Métodos Entre 1° de maio de 2017 e 1° de abril de 2019, realizamos um estudo retrospectivo caso-controle com 380 pacientes inférteis e 346 grávidas (normalmente férteis e capazes de conceber espontaneamente). As pacientes férteis foram selecionadas entre aquelas que engravidaram espontaneamente sem tratamento, tiveram parto a termo e não apresentavam doenças sistêmicas ou obstétricas. Os níveis de hormônio estimulante da tireoide (TSH), triiodotironina (T3), tiroxina (T4), antitireoide peroxidase (anti-TPO), vitamina D, vitamina B12, ácido fólico, ferritina e zinco de ambos os grupos foram comparados.

Resultados Não houve diferença entre as pacientes dos grupos inférteis e gestantes em relação aos níveis altos de sérumT3 e T4 normais baixos e altos (p = 0,938; p > 0,05), respectivamente nem aos níveis normais e altos de anti-TPO (p = 0,182; p > 0,05), respectivamente. Não houve diferença significativa em relação aos pacientes com níveis baixos, insuficientes e suficientes de vitamina D nos grupos inférteis e gestantes (p = 0,160; p > 0,05), respectivamente. Os níveis de ácido fólico, ferritina e zinco do grupo infértil foram significativamente menores do que os do grupo grávida.

Conclusão Os níveis de sérum de ácido fólico, ferritina e zinco nas pacientes inférteis atendidas em nosso ambulatório foram menores do que nas pacientes férteis.

Keywords

infertility - vitamin B12 - vitamin D - folic acid - ferritin - zinc - thyroid hormones

Palavras-chave

infertilidade - vitamina b12 - vitamina D - ácido fólico - ferritina - zinco - hormônios da tireoide

Contributors

All authors were involved in the design and analysis, contributed to the writing of the manuscript, and read and approved the final manuscript.




Publication History

Received: 25 January 2023

Accepted: 27 April 2023

Article published online:
29 November 2023

© 2023. Federação Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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