Effect of life style behaviors on assisted reproductive techniques (ART)

Abstract

Background: Infertility means a couple in their reproductive age not bearing a child after a year’s unprotected intercourse. It has a global prevalence of 12% to 15%. Aim of the work: The aim of this study is to evaluate the combined effect of several lifestyle behaviors [Exercise, smoking, alcohol, dietary habits and stress] on assisted reproductive techniques [ART] outcomes. Patients and Methods: This study included 700 patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Patients answered a questionnaire [simple life style questionnaire; SLIQ] and analysis examined the relationship between lifestyle with the intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles outcomes. Comparison of SLIQ scores as measured by the scoring template with scores obtained by the health professionals’ blinded assessment of the questions validated our scoring scheme. We achieved a correlation coefficient of 0.77 [P<0.001] between SLIQ scores and blinded reviewers’ scores. Results: The mean number of oocytes was 6.31±5.5; and [73%] of oocytes were of good quality; the mean number of embryos was 3.22±3.36 and 69.0% were of good quality. Finally, 399 patients [57%] get pregnant. There was significant relation between life style behaviors and results of ART. There was Positive correlation between [total score and each of quality of oocytes, quality of embryos and pregnancy test.Conclusion: This study has highlighted that lifestyle behaviors can adversely affect general health and reproductive performance.