Extra weight can make it hard for you to get pregnant. For example, polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, is one of the most common reasons for infertility in women and can also cause obesity. Overweight and obesity affect fertility by: Preventing ovulation.
In most cases, being overweight does not affect your ability to get pregnant. However, being obese (rather than overweight) can decrease your chances of getting pregnant. That's because weight can have an effect on your hormones and can prevent your ovaries from releasing an egg (ovulation).
Being underweight (BMI under 18.5) can reduce a woman's fertility by causing hormone imbalances that affect ovulation and the chance of getting pregnant. Compared to women in the healthy weight range, women who are underweight are more likely to take more than a year to get pregnant.
Excess weight affects female fertility
This can disrupt the hormone balance and lead to reduced fertility. The quantity and distribution of body fat affect the menstrual cycle through a range of hormonal mechanisms. The more excess weight and the more abdominal fat, the greater the risk of fertility difficulties.
Overweight and obese women have higher levels of a hormone called leptin, which is produced in fatty tissue. This can disrupt the hormone balance and lead to reduced fertility. The quantity and distribution of body fat affect the menstrual cycle through a range of hormonal mechanisms.
These findings suggest that the obesity may affect the quality of the egg that is ovulated or interfere with the implantation of the embryo due to effects on the lining of the uterus.
Your recommended weight gain range for pregnancy will depend on what your body mass index (BMI) was before you became pregnant. The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend that women who are: at a healthy weight (BMI 18.5-24.9) gain 11.5-16 kg. overweight (BMI 25-29.9) gain 7-11.5 kg.
women in the normal weight range (BMI of 18.5-24.9) are recommended to put on between 37-54 lbs (16.8-24.5kg) women who are overweight (BMI between 25 and 29.9) are recommended to put on between 31-50 lbs (14.1-22.7kg)
Limit processed food like ready meals and when you do have fat, stick to healthy unsaturated fats like olive oil. Physical activity is also key for weight loss, and for all-round good health . You'll find it easiest if you build exercise into your everyday life.
The main symptom of infertility is the inability to get pregnant. A menstrual cycle that's too long (35 days or more), too short (less than 21 days), irregular or absent can mean that you're not ovulating. There might be no other signs or symptoms.
If you're overweight or obese during pregnancy, you're more likely to have these complications: High blood pressure, preeclampsia and blood clotting problems. High blood pressure is when the force of blood against the walls of the blood vessels is too high.
A 5 to 7 percent decrease in body weight, or about 10 to 20 pounds, by an obese woman will increase her chances of getting pregnant.
Ovulation can be switched back on by consuming more food and aiming for a daily intake of at least 2500 total calories and 200 grams of starch. With increased calories and starch, ovulation should resume within six months.
If you have a high BMI (over 25) before pregnancy or in early pregnancy, this can affect your health and how your baby develops. The higher your BMI the higher the risk. These risks include: high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia.
Have sex regularly. The highest pregnancy rates occur in couples who have sex every day or every other day. Have sex near the time of ovulation. If having sex every day isn't possible — or enjoyable — have sex every 2 to 3 days a week starting soon after the end of your period.
Effect of a high BMI on fertility
The ideal BMI for getting pregnant is between 18.5 and 24.9.
If you have a high BMI (over 25) before pregnancy or in early pregnancy, this can affect your health and how your baby develops. The higher your BMI the higher the risk. These risks include: high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia.
Guidelines indicate that your chances of getting pregnant with IVF are better if your BMI is between 19 and 30. A BMI over 30 has a significant negative effect on IVF pregnancy success rates. IVF success rates are most favourable in patients with low and normal BMIs.
Being overweight can also lead to abnormal hormone issues affecting reproductive processes for both women and men. Abnormal hormone signals, as a result of excess weight, negatively impact ovulation and sperm production. In women, it can cause the overproduction of insulin, which may cause irregular ovulation.
Evidence is presented that the high percentage of body fat (26-28%) in mature women is necessary for regular ovulatory cycles.
If your BMI is 30 or above, you are advised to take a higher dose of folic acid (5 mg per day).
Defining Obesity
Individuals are usually considered morbidly obese if their weight is more than 80 to 100 pounds above their ideal body weight. A BMI above 40 indicates that a person is morbidly obese and therefore a candidate for bariatric surgery.