Concept of Infertility among Obese Women in Unani System of Medicine-A Review

- Obesity represents a rapidly growing threat to the health of populations which has detrimental effect on fertility by disrupting the neuroendocrinal and ovulatory functions. One quarter of all obese infertile couples have an ovulatory disorder and 90% of those women with an ovulatory disorder have PCOD. Obese infertile women are at risk of type 2 diabetesmellitus, endometrial and breast cancer.Recent studies have shown that, obese women require higher doses of ovulation inducing drugs and has poor outcome with ART. These interventions are also associated with complications such as ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome, reduce ovarian reserve and pelvic adhesions.InUnani system of medicine, infertility is termed as “Uqr” which occurs due to defect in male mani (sperm) or female mani(ovum) or male and female reproductive organs.It is mentioned in various Unani literature that obesity is associated with infertility.Obesity(siman mufrit) is classified as a balghami marzwhich leads to zoa’fe jigar,sudda jigar,sue mizaj sada (barid ratab) and sue mizaj maddi (balghami) of the uterus, zo’afequwwate tawlide maniwhich alter the ovarian function which resultsin impaired follicle developmentand toole ihtebase mani (chronic anovulation);these factors are responsible for infertility. Principle of treatment includes elimination of cause of infertility (obesity), use of mudirre haiz advia having mufattih sudad property to induce menstruation,use of muwallide mani, muqawwi rahim & mu’ine hamladvia to help in conception. This review givesa complete description of physiology of reproduction, effect of obesity onfertility, diagnosis, principle of treatment and treatment in Unani perspective.