PATTERN OF REPRODUCTIVE HORMONES IN WOMEN WITH INFERTILITY IN ZARIA, NORTHERN NIGERIA
PATTERN OF REPRODUCTIVE HORMONES IN WOMEN WITH INFERTILITY IN ZARIA, NORTHERN NIGERIA
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Date
2009-10
Authors
AINAVI, ISAH IDRIS
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
Aims and objective:
The desire for reproduction is a basic human instinct and it is well known
that infertility is one of the psychosocial problems affecting many couples
world wide. This study aimed to evaluate the pattern of reproductive
hormones in women with infertility in Zaria, Northern Nigeria with a view
to assessing the contribution of certain endocrinopathies to infertility in the
study population.
This was a crosss- sectional study of women with infertility attending
infertility clinic in Ahmadu Bello university teaching Hospital (ABUTH),
Zaria.
Subjects and Methods:
Concentration of Leutinizing Hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone
(FSH), Prolactin (PRL), progesterone and Oestradiol were measured in 120
infertile women and 60 apparently healthy fertile women as control in order
to assess the contribution and clinical significance of these hormones in the
aetiopathogenesis of infertility in these subjects . The serum hormones were
measured by the microwell enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
technique based on the non competitive sandwich principle for LH, FSH
and prolactin while the serum progesterone and oestradiol were measured
based on competitive ELISA principle.
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The reproducibility of ELISA kits used for the measurement of the
hormone was evaluated with available facilities in the Chemical pathology
Laboratory of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) Zaria.
Results:
The within-runs assay coefficient of variation were 5.9%, 8.4%, 3.1%, 4.3%
and 2.1% for LH, FSH, prolactin, progesterone and oestradiol respectively
while the between-runs assay coefficient of variation were 6.2%, 9.0%,
6.9%, 7.3% and 2.7% respectively.
Differences in hormone levels between the groups of fertile and infertile
women were assessed by the use of Levene’s test.
The mean levels of LH, Prolactin, progesterone, oestradiol and LH/FSH
ratio were found to be significantly different(p<0.05) in the infertile women
compared to the control groups. The infertile women had a higher (p<0.05)
mean concentration of LH, prolactin and LH/FSH ratio ( 34.8±27.8mIU/ml
30.9±20.3ng/ml and 4±5.8 ) values than the fertile control groups ( 12.3±
6.8mIU/ml , 8.7 ±5.6ng/ml and 1.1±0.7).The mean serum progesterone and
oestradiol in infertile women (5.3±11.1ng/ml and 188.2±157pg/ml) were
significantly lower (p<0.05) than in infertile women (17.8± 16.9ng/ml
and 366±22.7pg/ml).
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There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in all the serum hormonal
profile in infertile women with primary infertility when compared with those
with secondary infertility.
Hormonal abnormalities were seen in 71.7% of infertile women comprising
33.3% polycystic ovarian syndrome with hyperprolactinaemia, 13.3%
luteal phase deficiency with hyperprolactinaemia , 13.3% polycystic ovarian
syndrome, 2.5% luteal phase defficiency, 4.2%Hypergonadotropic
hypogonadism, 1.7%Hypergonadoropic hypogonadism with
hyperprolactinaemia, 1.7%Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and
1.7%Hypergonadotropic hypergonadism. Hyperprolactinaemia was found in
50% and has the highest incidence of all the hormonal disorders among the
infertile women studied.
Hyper prolactinaemia was also found to coexist with some other hormonal
abnormalities in this study .
Polycystic ovarian syndrome was found in 46.6% of infertile women
studied.
The infertile women with normal hormonal levels were 28.3%.
Correlation between the biochemical parameters and the clinical parameters
were assessed by the use of Pearson’s correlation. There were positive and
significant correlations between BMI and serum LH in controls. There were
no significant correlation (p>0.05) between age and biochemical parameters
among the infertile women. However there was a positive
correlation (p<0.05) between age and serum BMI among the controls.
Conclusions:
The results of this study indicate that hormonal disorders may be
responsible for some cases of women with infertility. These results also
suggest hormonal disorders that occur in infertile women in
Zaria, Northern Nigeria may be treatable.
Description
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL PATHOLOGY,
FACULTY OF MEDICINE
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA
OCTOBER,
Keywords
PATTERN,, REPRODUCTIVE,, HORMONES,, WOMEN,, INFERTILITY,, ZARIA,, NORTHERN,, NIGERIA