title: Infertility patients' knowledge of the effects of obesity on reproductive health outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to assess the infertility patient knowledge of reproductive outcomes affected by obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective survey study of 150 female infertility patients in an academic medical center. Subjects were administered the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine-Short Form and a questionnaire on the health risks of obesity, and investigators obtained height and weight measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects' age ranged from 21 to 45 years (mean 34.8 ± 4.94 SD) and body mass index ranged from 17.9 to 62.9 kg/m(2) (mean 26.5 ± 7.54 SD). The following percentages of women were aware that obesity increases the risk of infertility (82.7%), irregular periods (70.0%), miscarriage (60.7%), cesarean section (48.7%), breast cancer (38.7%), birth defects (29.3%), stillbirth (22.7%), and endometrial cancer (20.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among women with infertility, there is limited knowledge of reproductive outcomes affected by obesity. Public education is needed to increase awareness. Women undergoing fertility treatment are motivated for reproductive success and may be uniquely receptive to obesity education and weight loss intervention.
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Eden R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Cardozo
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Neff
authors.forename: Maureen E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Brocks
authors.forename: Geraldine E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Ekpo
authors.forename: Tanaka J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Dune
authors.forename: Randall B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.forename: Erica E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Marsh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D060728:Reproductive Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires