This systematic review aimed to explore the connection between sleep disturbances and female infertility, examining the potential underlying mechanisms to improve treatment strategies and offer better support to women undergoing fertility treatments.
Optimizing sleep health may be a vital yet overlooked lifestyle strategy for improving fertility in women of childbearing age.
This systematic review aimed to explore the connection between sleep disturbances and female infertility, examining the potential underlying mechanisms to improve treatment strategies and offer better support to women undergoing fertility treatments.
A thorough PubMed and EMBASE search identified studies from 2010 to 2023. These studies explored the relationship between sleep disturbances, sleep-related breathing disorders, and female infertility. Paired reviewers screened studies independently and extracted the relevant data. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal tools were used to evaluate the quality of these studies.
Overall, 1179 articles were found through database searches (377 from PubMed and 802 from EMBASE). Nineteen studies were retrieved based on the inclusion criteria after removing 83 duplicates and screening 75 studies. Women experiencing infertility often described disrupted sleep patterns, characterized by lower sleep quality and a tendency toward evening chronotypes. Sleep disorders indicated a significant link to infertility, with disrupted sleep patterns, extreme sleep durations, and specific chronotypes associated with lower fertility treatment success, including fewer retrieved oocytes, reduced embryo quality, and lower fertilization rates.
Obstructive sleep apnea or sleep-disordered breathing is more commonly observed in females facing fertility challenges, particularly those suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome, and may negatively affect reproductive outcomes. While circadian rhythm disruptions, melatonin and hormone imbalances, oxidative stress, and immune responses are considered possible mechanisms connecting sleep troubles to infertility, additional research is required for further clarification.
Sleep disturbances may impair fertility and treatment outcomes, highlighting the need for better sleep management in infertility care.
BMC Womens Health
Sleep disturbances and female infertility: a systematic review
Jing Li et al.
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