Polycystic ovarian syndrome among women diagnosed with infertility in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence studies

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome, a common endocrine disorder, is an important cause of infertility among women of reproductive age. Within the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, polycystic ovarian syndrome is found to affect women increasingly. No study has been carried out to critically summarize the evidence on the prevalence of polycystic ovarian syndrome among women suffering from infertility in these countries.

Objective: This protocol aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the studies reporting the prevalence of polycystic ovarian syndrome among women seeking infertility treatment in the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates).

Design/methods and analysis: The systematic review and meta-analysis will follow the following method.

Data source: Five databases, including PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, and SCOPUS, will be searched for observational studies using a combination of relevant keywords and Medical Subject Headings from inception of databases.

Data extraction: Two reviewers will screen titles and abstracts, followed by a full-text search based on the eligibility criteria. The main outcome is to measure the proportion of women who have polycystic ovarian syndrome among infertility-diagnosed patients. In addition, the risk of bias in the included studies will be assessed using the national institute of health quality assessment tool for observational studies.

Data synthesis: The random-effects method of the analysis with the inverse variance will be used to calculate the pooled prevalence of polycystic ovarian syndrome-attributed infertility. Variation in prevalence estimates will be calculated using subgroup analysis based on study and patients' characteristics and publication bias will be assessed via funnel plot inspection and Eggar's test.

Discussion: A critical assessment of evidence on the prevalence of polycystic ovarian syndrome in women attending fertility clinics is helpful in risk quantification, enabling better planning for managing infertility in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Registration: This protocol has been registered with PROSPERO, protocol registration number (CRD42022355087).