The risk of infertility and dietary inflammatory index, a case–control study in Iran

  • Roya KabodMehri
  • , Farhad Vahid
  • , Sheyda Nami
  • , Hadis Ghadimi
  • , Masoumeh Dorosti
  • , Faezeh Tejareh
  • , Ali Shamsi-Goushki
  • , Parsa Bahmani
  • , Hoora Karimi
  • , Marjan Ajami*
  • , Saeid Doaei*
  • , Maryam Gholamalizadeh
  • *Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Background: Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after 12 months of unprotected sexual intercourse and affects 15% of couples globally. Diet influences inflammatory factors, potentially affecting ovarian reserve and thus may have a role in infertility. The present study aimed to assess the association between infertility and the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII). Methods: This case–control study was conducted at Al-Zahra Hospital, Rasht, Iran, on 123 infertile women and 123 healthy participants. Food intake was assessed using a validated FFQ. The DII was calculated, and logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between DII and ovarian reserve. Results: Individuals with a higher DII had a greater risk of infertility compared to those with a lower DII (OR = 2.08, CI 95% = 1.024–4.248, P = 0.043) after adjustment for age, weight, body mass index, intake of anti-inflammatory supplements, suffering from underlying disease, smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity. Further adjustments for infertility duration, thyroid disorders, FSH, LH, and number of fertilities did not change the results. Conclusion: The dietary inflammatory index (DII) was positively associated with infertility. A higher inflammatory diet may increase the likelihood of infertility. Further research is needed to fully understand this connection.

Original languageEnglish
Number of pages9
JournalArchives of Gynecology and Obstetrics
Early online date29 Oct 2025
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 29 Oct 2025

Keywords

  • DII
  • Diet
  • Dietary inflammatory index
  • Infertility

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