Prevalence and dietary management of polycystic ovary syndrome among Libyan women attending Tripoli Infertility Center

ABSTRACT

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common heterogenic endocrine illness in women of reproductive age, caused mostly by an excess of androgen and ovarian dysfunction. The present study was carried out to estimate the prevalence of PCOS among Libyan women who attended infertility center Tripoli, Libya, from 2020-2022, evaluate hormonal profile, Body Mass Index, weight and west circumferential before and after treatment and diet management. A longitudinal cross-sectional study conducted in the Tripoli Fertility Center in Tripoli, Libya, the study population targeting output Libyan female patients who presented to the gynecology and obstetrics (OPD) department and therapeutic nutrition department. Data Retrospectively collected from 2020 until 2022 and diagnosed using Rotterdam's criteria. A total of 603 patients visited the gynecology and obstetrics department and the therapeutic nutrition department between January 2020 and December 2022. Out of which 174 women in the PCOS group and 429 in the non-PCOS group. The prevalence of PCOS was 29.56% in 2020, 37.5% in 2021, and 20.27% in 2022. The mean age of PCOS was 34.90 ± 5.5 SD, and all of the PCOS group were married. Worth to mention that all of PCOS cases was insulin resistance type. In terms of weight in the PCOS group, 19.54% were obese BMI >29, 68.96% were morbid obese with BMI >35, and approximately 68.39% of waist circumference measurements were more than 88cm. Hirsutism and oligomenorrhea were the major clinical features, morbid obese seems to be more prevalent in Libyan PCOS patients, low carbohydrate diet and physical activities may play an important role in PCOS management