The silent cycle: unveiling anovulation and its lifestyle correlates among urban women in West Bengal

Background and aims: Anovulation, is a major contributor to female infertility and is commonly associated with conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).In West Bengal, increasing urbanization and lifestyle shifts are suspected to impact reproductive health. This study evaluated the prevalence and potential lifestyle factors associated with anovulation in women under 40, while also outlining the relevant clinical and demographic trends. Methodology: A cross-sectional study analyzed anovulation among 30 urban women aged 14 to 40 years in West Bengal. Diagnosis involved menstrual history, clinical exams, transvaginal ultrasounds, and hormonal evaluations. Lifestyle data on physical activity, nutrition, and BMI were collected via standardized questionaries. Statistical analysis using ANOVA was conducted to compare means and identifying significant predictors across ovulatory and ovulatory groups. Result: The overall point prevalence in these study cohort was found to be 23.62% compared to ovulatory group exhibited significantly higher mean BMI (28.9±11.6 vs. 24.3±3.5 kg/m2; p<0.001) and lower mean weekly physical activity (45 mins vs. 120 mins; p<0.01). ANOVA results indicated that central obesity (waist-to-hip ratio ≥ 0.85), high perceived stress scores, and reduced progesterone were statistically significant independent predictors of anovulation (p< 0.05). Conclusion: A considerable proportion of healthy, frequently cycling urban women in West Bengal suffer from silent anovulation, which is connected to lifestyle factors such as central adiposity and psychological stress. These findings highlight the need for proactive reproductive health screening and targeted lifestyle interventions to improve fertility and metabolic outcomes in developing population.