THE IMPACT OF VITAMIN D3 LEVELS ON INFERTILITY.

JPUMHS;2025:15:01,13-18. http://doi.org/10.46536/jpumhs/2025/15.01.590

Abstract

ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Infertility is the fifth most serious global physical or mental health
condition. It may have detrimental effects on both partners' social, psychological,
physical, and financial well-being. The literature reveals positive relationship between
infertility and vitamin D3 level but data on their complex interaction is relatively scarce
in Pakistan, highlighting the need for further research. OBJECTIVE: To examine the
impact of vitamin D3 levels on infertility. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional
investigation was conducted on 132 infertile and 132 fertile women selected through
convenience sampling at the Gynecology and Obstetrics ward of the PMC hospital,
Nawabshah, Pakistan. Data were collected through a questionnaire and entered and
analyzed in computer software Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS)
version 25.0. The link between infertility and qualitative variables was examined using
the chi-square test, and the mean difference in vitamin D3 across research groups was
evaluated using the independent sample t test. A confidence interval of 95% was used for
the study. RESULTS: Vitamin D3 deficiency and insufficiency were significantly higher
in infertile women (53%, 18.9%) compared to fertile women (22%, 11.3%). Infertility
significantly increases with the age of participants increased ranging from 3.8% in 20-25
years to 34.8% in 36-40 years. Infertility was higher in the middle class (81.1%) compared
to the poor class (18.9%) and significantly higher in illiterates 43.2% followed by primary
(30.3%) and low in graduation (3.8%). CONCLUSION: Infertile women had
significantly greater levels of vitamin D3 inadequacy and insufficiency than fertile
women. Besides Vitamin D3, Infertility was found to be associated with age and
education of women. Initiatives such as vitamin D3 supplementation, improving women’s
education and social status and health interventions should be implemented to address
this issue.