The subcutaneous abdominal fat and not the intraabdominal fat compartment is associated with anovulation in women with obesity and infertility.
BACKGROUND
Abdominal fat contributes to anovulation.


OBJECTIVE
We compared body fat distribution measurements and their contribution to anovulation in obese ovulatory and anovulatory infertile women.


METHODS
Seventeen ovulatory and 40 anovulatory women (age, 30 +/- 4 yr; body mass index, 37.7 +/- 6.1 kg/m(2)) participated. Body fat distribution was measured by anthropometrics, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and single-sliced abdominal computed tomography scan. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to determine which fat compartments significantly contributed to anovulation.


RESULTS
Anovulatory women had a higher waist circumference (113 +/- 11 vs. 104 +/- 9 cm; P < 0.01) and significantly more trunk fat (23.0 +/- 5.3 vs. 19.1 +/- 4.2 kg; P < 0.01) and abdominal fat (4.4 +/- 1.3 kg vs. 3.5 +/- 0.9 kg; P < 0.05) on dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scan than ovulatory women despite similar body mass index. The volume of intraabdominal fat on single-sliced abdominal computed tomography scan was not significantly different between the two groups (203 +/- 56 vs. 195 +/- 71 cm(3); P = 0.65), but anovulatory women had significantly more sc abdominal fat (SAF) (992 +/- 198 vs. 864 +/- 146 cm(3); P < 0.05). After multiple logistic regression analysis, only trunk fat, abdominal fat, and SAF were associated with anovulation.


CONCLUSIONS
Abdominal fat is increased in anovulatory women due to a significant increase in SAF and not in intraabdominal fat. SAF and especially abdominal and trunk fat accumulation are associated with anovulation.
Kuchenbecker
Walter K H
WK
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands. w.k.h.kuchenbecker@isala.nl
Groen
Henk
H
Zijlstra
Tineke M
TM
Bolster
Johanna H T
JH
Slart
Riemer H J
RH
van der Jagt
Erik J
EJ
Kobold
Anneke C Muller
AC
Wolffenbuttel
Bruce H R
BH
Land
Jolande A
JA
Hoek
Annemieke
A
D000005:Abdomen / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D000858:Anovulation / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D010060:Ovulation / Q000502:physiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D013739:Testosterone