Review Article

Bariatric Surgery, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, and Infertility

Table 1

Comparison of existing studies about bariatric surgery and female fertility.

Eid et al.
SOARD 2005
[16]
Stroh et al.
Zentralbl
Chir 2008
(paper in
German,
abstract in
English)
[13]
Doblado
et al. Ferti
Steril 2010
[19]
Jamal et al.
SOARD
2012 [17]
Talebpour
Obes Surg 2011
(abstract
only) [18]
George and Azeez  
Obes Surg
2013
(abstract
only) [20]

Participants24 women with
PCOS
3 females
with PCOS
2 females with
infertility
secondary to
PCOS (and to
male factor)
10 women
with PCOS
and infertility
69 premenopausal
married
females
156 women
(67 had
radiological
features of
PCOS and 11
were infertile)
InterventionsLaparoscopic
RYGB
Laparoscopic
LAGB
RYGB and
gastric band,
respectively
RYGBGastric
plication or
RYGB
Laparoscopic
SG
Outcomes
measured
Mean excess
weight loss,
presence of
hirsutism,
regular
menstruation,
conception rate
after surgery,
obesity
associated comorbidities
% EWL,
glucose
levels,
conception
rate
Conception
and pregnancy
Pre- and postsurgery
conception
rate,
weight loss,
hirsutism,
menstrual
dysfunction,
obesity
associated comorbidities
Regularity of
menstruation
and
conception
rate
Hirsutism,
stress urinary
incontinence,
menstrual
dysfunction,
infertility
Study designRetrospectiveNot statedRetrospectiveRetrospectiveNot statedRetrospective
Mean follow-up (months)104Not stated12Not stated
Results, fertility5 women
(previously
infertile) who
wanted to
conceive were
able to do so
after surgery
without the use
of clomiphene
One patient
(33%)
conceived
postoperatively
Following
IVF/ICSI, both
women
became
pregnant and
had
uncomplicated
deliveries
100% postoperative
conception
rate in
infertile
patients with
PCOS who
desired
pregnancy
10 women
(71%) out of
14 who were
infertile preoperatively became
pregnant
after one
year postoperatively
4 patients
(36%)
conceived
without any
formal fertility
treatment
Results –
other
Resolution of
T2D, decreased
number of
patients with
hypertension
and
hyperlipidemia,
improvement
of PCOS-associated
symptoms
The 3
patients had a
% EWL of
49, 67, and
41%,
respectively,
with glucose
levels
normalized
postoperatively
Improvement
of glycemic
control,
PCOS-associated
symptoms,
hypertension,
depression,
GERD, and
urinary
incontinence
Out of 30
patients with
irregular
cycles preoperatively, 14 (47%)
had regular
cycles by the
end of 1 year
postoperatively
Hirsutism and
radiological
evidence of
PCOS resolved
in 80%;
menstrual
dysfunction
improved in
100%; urinary
incontinence
resolved or
improved in
42%