The modern world is rehabilitating crumpets. An overweight woman is sexy - say the media. Even famous couturiers create collections for fat women and put XXL size models on the catwalk. Is it possible to get pregnant if you are obese and do you need to lose weight before pregnancy? Isn't it better to give up dieting and just enjoy life in your big body? Let's figure out what doctors think about this.
Ideal mass
Before planning a pregnancy, you need to determine your ideal weight for conceiving a child. And this is not a model weight at all. Exhaustion has the same negative (if not worse!) effect on conception as excess weight.
One of the most popular diagnostic methods is calculating BMI (body mass index). In order to calculate the index, you need to know your weight and height.
BMI = weight in kg/height in meters squared.
For example, let’s calculate BMI for a height of 170 and a weight of 60 kg.
BMI=60/1.7X1.7
The ideal weight for conception should be as close as possible to normal BMI indicators - 18-25. Being underweight or overweight can interfere with pregnancy.
Significant deviations from the norm are underweight and obesity.
Do you always need to lose weight?
First you need to determine the cause of your high BMI. It should be understood that excess weight does not always mean obesity. Sometimes “excess” weight is edema (in some diseases) or an individual characteristic.
They talk about an individual feature when the BMI is higher than normal, but the body proportions are respected. This phenomenon can be observed in athletes with well-developed muscles and dense bone tissue.
Spanish volleyball player LILI
World number one Serena Williams
In any case, with borderline values, you must take into account the proportionality of your body. Muscle tissue is much denser than fat tissue, and accordingly, its contribution to the total body weight is more significant.
There are methods for calculating the percentage of fat tissue in the body. This percentage cannot be determined at home. Such diagnostics are done in private clinics, public health centers, and also in fitness centers. The norm for conception is 17-25%. If your BMI is higher than normal, but your fat content does not exceed 25%, then losing weight is not necessary to conceive.
How obesity affects conception
A person’s weight or body mass plays an important role in the regulation of a woman’s hormonal levels. In this case, it is not the mass itself that is important, but the fat content in the body. For example, a big-boned girl weighing 67 kg most likely does not have excess fat. And if a short, asthenic girl with thin wrists weighs the same, then it doesn’t bother her to lose weight.
In recent years, doctors have discovered that subcutaneous fat is essentially a large endocrine (that is, hormone-producing) organ. Obesity is a hormonal disease. With obesity, changes in the endocrine system occur in the body. Hormonal imbalance leads to metabolic disorders such as lipogenesis. In this case, fat in the body begins to form from carbohydrates and is deposited in the subcutaneous fat.
The exact mechanism of how body weight affects conception is not described in the medical literature. Excess body weight does not have a direct effect on a woman’s reproductive function. But many observations from doctors support the fact that excess weight prevents you from getting pregnant.
Sex hormones and obesity
Any hormonal disorders in the body are not isolated. Ovulation in a woman’s body occurs under the influence of sex hormones. Sex hormones include estrogen and progestogens. Estrogens are synthesized in the ovaries and affect the ovulation process. Progestogens or pregnancy hormones are synthesized by the corpus luteum, placenta and a small part of the adrenal cortex.
Normal body weight depends on body type.
The formation of an egg, its ability to fertilize and successful implantation of an embryo also occurs under the influence of sex hormones. The uncoordinated work of estrogens and progestogens leads to an unsuccessful attempt at conception.
You can determine whether weight affects conception by the presence of hormonal disorders of sexual function. Sex hormones regulate all processes preceding conception: ovulation and movement of the egg through the fallopian tube, the function of the corpus luteum and endometrium.
When the egg is fertilized, regulation by sex hormones continues. Successful implantation of the embryo into the endometrium and successful formation of chorionic villi also depends on the production of estrogen and progesterone.
Hormonal imbalance in the body can affect the ability to conceive. And the synthesis of sex hormones, in turn, is affected by adipose tissue. If there is too much of it or, conversely, too little, then the hormonal balance is disturbed, and ovulation and conception may not occur.
Obesity and infertility
Does excess weight affect conception? It has been found that overweight people have difficulty conceiving a child. Many experts link excess weight and infertility.
At the same time, we can talk about infertility only if unsuccessful attempts to get pregnant occurred for more than one year. Unsuccessful conception on the first attempts may be a physiological norm.
You can’t get pregnant for a long time and your doctor says that you have hormonal problems (for example, no ovulation, impaired corpus luteum function, etc.)? Perhaps the reason lies in your obesity. When you lose weight, your hormone balance can be restored. Although it is possible that in addition to obesity, you have other causes of infertility. Therefore, you should not perceive “weight loss” measures as a panacea. You need to be examined and treated.
What is the risk
It has been established that in women, obesity of 2 and 3 degrees contributes to disruption of the menstrual cycle and ovulation. Although there is no clear answer to the question of why excess weight affects conception in modern medicine.
It is possible to determine whether it is possible to become pregnant with stage 1 obesity after studying the woman’s hormonal background for the functioning of sex hormones. Often a slight deviation from the norm does not affect the reproductive system.
However, even mild obesity will make carrying a baby physically exhausting for you. Not to mention serious deviations from the norm. Pregnancy with obesity often becomes a high-risk pregnancy. High blood pressure, swelling, varicose veins, heart problems - this is not a complete list of complications. Therefore, fat women should lose weight before conceiving, even if their hormonal levels are normal.
How to lose weight to conceive
When planning a pregnancy, you need to determine your ideal weight for conception. If you are overweight, you need to lose weight to get pregnant. There are many ways to lose weight and improve your fitness. To achieve a positive result, you need to reconsider your diet.
Proper nutrition and physical activity help reduce fat tissue and develop muscle tissue. Sufficient intake of carbohydrates, proteins and fats normalizes metabolism in the body. And physical training will help a woman cope with pregnancy and prepare for childbirth.
You cannot lose weight “extremely”. Low-calorie and especially low-fat diets hurt a woman’s endocrine system. Menstruation may stop and ovulation will disappear. Be sure to include fats in your diet (even in modest quantities). And the total caloric content of the diet when losing weight should not fall below 1500 kcal per day.
Exhausting physical activity, especially for unsportsmanlike women, will also bring nothing but harm. You need to do little by little, gradually increasing the intensity of the exercises.
You need to lose weight slowly (about 0.5 kilos per week), otherwise rapid weight loss will worsen hormonal problems.
Got pregnant and lost weight
Sometimes pregnancy itself introduces adjustments to a woman’s body. In the first trimester, intoxication or early gestosis in pregnant women often develop. Clinically, gestosis is expressed in dyspeptic disorders.
With dyspepsia, pregnant women suffer from nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. In such cases they say “she became pregnant and lost weight.” Preeclampsia during pregnancy is an undesirable phenomenon, since the child must receive the required amount of nutrients and minerals from the first days of its development.
Everyone needs to determine whether their excess weight affects conception. If you have any fluctuations towards excess weight, be sure to lose weight. Optimal body weight and good health of a woman shape the future health of the child.
Competently: commentary from a gynecologist
Obstetrician-gynecologist Elena Artemyeva answers patient questions 
— My height is 172 and my weight is 51 kg. The monthly cycle is irregular. I haven't been able to get pregnant for four years. Doctors say that this is due to weight and recommend IVF. Will it be possible to carry a child after IVF, given the lack of body weight?
— Your ideal weight for conception is between 55-73 kg. If for some reason it is not possible to recover to these figures and if it is not possible to get pregnant for so long, IVF is recommended. You will be able to carry the baby to term, but try to eat very well during pregnancy.
- I am 28 years old. We have been planning a baby for 7 months now, but fertilization is not happening. My husband and I were examined and everything is fine. With a height of 168 cm, I weigh 94 kilograms. I need to lose weight, but I don’t know how the diet will affect conception. I want to try a vegetable diet.
— Weight really matters for conceiving a child. Losing weight is good for you; losing weight will increase your chances of conceiving. But strict diets have an adverse effect on hormonal levels. The diet should be balanced, and a strict vegetable diet has virtually no proteins or fats.
— I have been overweight since childhood. Now I weigh 95 kg. My gynecologist said that the chances of pregnancy are low until I lose weight. What nutrition is needed before planning a pregnancy and how to lose weight?
— You need to be examined by an endocrinologist. Often, endocrine obesity requires special approaches, and nutritional correction will not be enough. Be patient, you can’t lose weight quickly. First of all, you need to organize your diet. The calorie content of the daily diet is 1700-1900 kcal. You need to eat often, but little by little (5-6 meals). Focus on light foods - fruits and vegetables, low-fat sour milk, fish. Drink a lot of clean water - at least 2 liters. Don't eat at night. Eliminate smoked, salty, canned food, sweets, alcohol, limit flour. Spend at least one fasting day a week. Physical activity is required.
How are weight and conceiving a child related? Is it possible to get pregnant if you are overweight or underweight? To some, these questions may seem far-fetched. But in fact, getting your body weight in order can make the dream of motherhood real.
Women trying to get pregnant should pay attention to many factors: age, lifestyle, previous diseases, etc. However, few of them know that an important element affecting fertilization is body weight. This is an important factor that not only helps to get pregnant, but is also key when it comes to successful pregnancy.
Fat tissue and hormones, or Does weight affect the conception of a child?
Most people know that sex hormones are produced by the ovaries. However, almost 30% of them are the result of adipose tissue. Therefore, we can argue that there is an important connection between it (and therefore weight) and the fertility of women and men.
What kind of weight affects women’s ability to conceive – small or large? This factor can be influenced by both underweight and excess body weight. Because adipose tissue is part of the endocrine system, hormonal imbalances can affect metabolism, which can result in obesity.
To find out whether the connection between our adipose tissue and hormones is “correct”, it is enough to determine the ratio of height and weight, that is, you should use the body mass index (BMI - Body Mass Index). To get it, you need to divide your weight by your height squared. You can also find a ready-made table with values on the Internet or in books and medical magazines.
Weight and conception: considering different options
After calculation or searching in sources, our result should be compared with standard parameters. It is best if the resulting numbers are in the range from 18.5 to 24.99. Here are the results that should concern us:
- a result below 18.5 means underweight - before trying to conceive a child, it is necessary to systematically gain weight;
- index more than 25 to 29.9 – overweight. To get pregnant without problems, it is better to lose a few or several tens of kilograms;
- more than 30 is an indicator of obesity. There are serious reasons to say that this particular factor will cause a lot of trouble when trying to get pregnant.
Excess weight and conception: problems of expectant mothers with excess body weight
Is it possible to get pregnant if you are overweight? Even a small excess of pounds can lead to fertility problems. This is due to excess amounts of estrogens, which affect the disruption of the ovulatory cycle or contribute to its absence.
The problem of the influence of excess weight on conception also applies to those women who menstruate regularly and do not have problems in this area. Keep in mind that too many pounds can contribute to much more significant problems, such as increased insulin or testosterone levels or common female diseases such as polycystic ovary syndrome.
The problem of extra pounds can and should be analyzed in terms of acquired and congenital excess weight. In the first case, the “wrong” result is often a consequence of an incorrect diet, excess sugar and fat, etc. This situation allows you to lose extra pounds relatively hassle-free.
However, if we are talking about a person whose excess body weight is associated with a genetic predisposition, then this is a more complex problem. Therefore, such women should carefully monitor their food intake, resort to physical activity and diet.
If the question of whether it is possible to get pregnant if you are overweight is resolved positively, and the woman managed to conceive safely, this does not mean the end of her problems. What other risks can you expect in an interesting situation?
- Excess weight can cause miscarriage.
- Often leads to diabetes mellitus or arterial hypertension.
- Carrying extra pounds often results in a longer labor (often with a more difficult prenatal period) or the need for a caesarean section.
- However, the problems do not end with the mother alone. Being obese or overweight can cause illness in the child. For example, neural tube defects and other congenital diseases are common.
How does being underweight affect conception?
The first sign associated with the effect of lack of body weight on hormonal levels is disruption or absence of the menstrual cycle. Irregular ovulation may also be an indicator that something is wrong. This is where the answer to the question arises: is it possible to get pregnant with a low weight, for example, 45 kg? All this leads to difficulties conceiving a child.
People who are too thin should wonder what the cause of their condition is - is it a consequence of excessive weight loss due to diets, genetic problems, diseases or some kind of disorder?
Even if you manage to achieve your goal of becoming a mother at low weight, being underweight can complicate the entire “interesting” period with increased nausea and vomiting. Also, low body weight can be the main cause of problems with pregnancy.
The Impact of Eating Disorders on Women's Fertility
Today, there are many diseases that have a significant impact on your chances of getting pregnant. Particular attention should be paid to situations where a woman has confronted or continues to have problems associated with anorexia or bulimia in her life. These ailments disrupt the stability of hormonal levels, which makes fertilization difficult.
Anorexia and conception
In the case of the first disease, we are talking about a very modest amount and variety of foods, and often about grueling training - up to a dangerously low level of body weight. Therefore, without treatment, anorexia can lead to cessation of the menstrual and ovulatory cycles, as well as to serious disturbances in the reproductive system.
Bulimia and conception
People suffering from bulimia, due to constant overeating and then “returning” food through vomiting, may also have problems conceiving. Despite the fact that, as a rule, their body weight is normal, menstrual cycle disorders occur. In this case, even a weight that does not differ from the norm and conceiving a child are “bad friends.”
Any chance?
In both cases, we are dealing with a poor diet that does not provide the body with the necessary microelements, minerals, nutrients or vitamins. Therefore, the libido of patients with such eating disorders is often very low, the quality of the eggs is not the best, and sufficiently favorable conditions for the development of the fetus are not created in the uterus.
However, treatment increases the chances of pregnancy in women with bulimia or anorexia. Therefore, despite so many threats and obstacles, there is a very real possibility of becoming a mother.
Men's weight and conception: problems not only affect women
Of course, it is women, as those who carry new life in their bodies, who should pay special attention to their weight. However, remember that “it takes two to tango.” Therefore, the answer to the question whether a man’s weight affects conception is: yes, the stronger sex can also have problems with fertility in the case of “wrong” body weight.
- Sperm production may be impaired if a woman's partner is overweight.
- Also, extra pounds can contribute to an increase in testicular temperature, which is dangerous for the health of the male intimate sphere.
- Excess fat tissue causes the conversion of testosterone into female estrone, which reduces sperm production and also reduces its quality, which can negatively affect a woman's fertilization.
- Male libido is compromised by excess weight.
- Obese men often have difficulty getting aroused and achieving an erection because fat deposits block blood flow to the penis.
It may seem that body weight does not have a significant impact on whether a woman can get pregnant or not. Often couples look for the root of evil in some illnesses, disorders, or mental problems. However, in a number of cases, it is quite simple to wonder whether high or low weight affects not only the shape, but also conception. The good news is that this is a problem that can be solved—unlike many others.
Conceiving a child is a crucial step for parents. It is advisable to undergo a medical examination before this, but many, alas, do not do it. It is so arranged by nature that women, a priori, are prone to accumulating adipose tissue more than men. And many women, especially those who are giving birth, have questions:
- Does obesity affect conception?
- How to get rid of excess weight for successful conception?
We should start with what actual changes occur in a woman’s body as a result of excess body weight?
Consequences of obesity for the female body, conception and excess weight
Firstly, excess weight in a woman often causes changes in hormonal levels. The development of insulin resistance disrupts the level of female hormones in the body, which negatively affects the maturation of eggs and, as a consequence, the reproductive function of a woman. According to some studies, insulin resistance occurs in 84% of people with high levels of fats (triglycerides) in the blood.
On the other hand, the same reason can cause an increase in the level of male hormones, in particular testosterone. Increasing its level also negatively affects the maturation of eggs. In addition, adipose tissues tend to accumulate, in addition to testosterone, andostenoids, estrone, and progesterone in concentrations that are several times higher than the normal concentration of these hormones in the blood.
Already these possible consequences of excess weight allow us to answer the question “does obesity affect conception” in the affirmative - yes, it does and significantly. But that's not all. The scale arrow in the “red zone” is also
- increased cholesterol levels;
- changes in insulin resistance contributing to hyperinsulism.
- In obese women, disorders of the hypothalamic-pituitary system are also possible. This can lead to the development of hyperprolactinemia and an increase in the level of the hormone prolactin in the blood, which, in turn, affects the regularity of the menstrual cycle.
- polycystic ovary syndrome is also often an invariable companion to obesity;
- fat deposits in the abdominal area (including internal) cause impaired blood flow in the abdominal area and, as a consequence, insufficient blood supply to the pelvic organs;
- as a result of hormonal imbalances, uterine endometriosis, fibroids, etc. can develop.
Of particular note is the danger of developing obesity during puberty in girls. This can have serious consequences in the future even after the root cause has been eliminated.
Conclusion. Does excess weight affect conception?
Excess weight in a woman, even from an aesthetic point of view, is already a reason to consult a nutritionist. But if you have decided to conceive a child, then consulting a doctor in this case is simply mandatory. In addition to the above reasons, we should not forget that obesity and accompanying hormonal imbalances can not only become an obstacle to conception, but also result in very serious problems when carrying a child.
Excess weight cannot directly affect conception itself, but it can affect the processes of egg formation and implantation processes in a woman’s body, as well as the quality of sperm in men, and this effect is not positive. A large number of specialists deal with the problems of conception in obese people, because this disease is increasingly spreading throughout the world and entails an increase in many concomitant pathologies that significantly worsen the quality of life of patients.
Any significant fluctuations in weight, both up and down, affect the ability to conceive and bear a child normally. For a man, body weight indicators are also important not only because of possible problems with potency due to excess weight, but also because of disturbances in the quality of seminal fluid. Many factors explain fertility problems in people suffering from infertility, and normalizing weight alone can relieve more problems.
Determining whether a person is obese is usually not difficult. However, it is better if a specialist deals with this issue, since people often evaluate themselves biasedly and subjectively, underestimating or overestimating the percentage of excess weight. There are no clear ideal weight figures for everyone; this indicator is individual and depends on other parameters of the body.
Most often, when determining the optimal weight, including for conception, experts use the body mass index. This indicator is determined quite simply: you need to calculate your height in centimeters squared and divide your body weight in kilograms by the resulting figure. There is a gradation of body mass index values indicating the probable degree of obesity or underweight.
In addition to this method, there are also special devices that can determine the fluid content in the body, the percentage of fat and muscle tissue and their ratio. This is necessary because for the same weight and height, and therefore the same body mass index, two different people can have different amounts of fat tissue. For example, one person will have excess body weight due to fat deposits, while another will have it due to pronounced muscle development. In the first case, a diagnosis of obesity will be established, in the second, a high body mass index will only indicate a significant degree of muscle tissue development and the body will maintain normal proportions.
The ideal or optimal weight for conceiving a child should be in the range of normal body mass index values. Deviation from these indicators may cause failures when planning a pregnancy. Thus, normal values are in the range from 18.5 to 30. Lower calculation results indicate a lack of body weight of varying degrees of severity, which necessarily requires correction. A child with this condition may develop poorly in utero because he does not receive the amount of nutrients he needs. Body mass index values greater than 30 indicate the development of incipient obesity (so-called pre-obesity) or obesity of varying degrees, from mild to severe morbid.
If the body mass index values are borderline, or slightly higher than normal, this may indicate not only the presence of obesity, but also edema, and may also be an individual feature of the body. To exclude possible overdiagnosis of obesity, additional studies are carried out, including instrumental and laboratory tests. Thus, the norm for the percentage of fatty tissue in the body that does not interfere with conception is in the range from 17 to 25%. Thus, even if the body mass index exceeds the norm, but the percentage of body fat is not more than 25, it is not necessary to lose weight for a normal pregnancy.
Today there are many formulas and proprietary methods for calculating ideal weight depending on age, gender, and individual characteristics of the body. In some cases, their use is necessary, since generally accepted methods are averaged for the general population and are not always suitable for individual assessment of the patient’s health status. Correct use of these methods and interpretation of the results is possible only by a specialist, so you should not independently analyze the examination results. An individual approach to each patient allows us to most effectively assess the degree of excess weight problems and develop optimal tactics for quickly and gently achieving ideal body weight to make conception possible.
On the way to achieving the optimal weight for conception, you should not go to extremes. For example, women often begin to completely avoid foods containing lipids. This is fundamentally wrong, since the synthesis of many hormones and biologically active substances requires the products of fat metabolism, including cholesterol. The synthesis of female sex hormones in the required quantities without this condition is impossible, so the condition of the reproductive system will only worsen on such a diet. The diet must include eggs, nuts, and various vegetable oils.
When the patient reaches a weight that has been determined for her as optimal for pregnancy and bearing a baby, it is also necessary to maintain this weight at the achieved level. This will help you discipline yourself, form correct eating behavior, and accustom yourself to constant sufficient physical activity. This lifestyle will allow you to feel better, be in good shape, easily get pregnant and carry your pregnancy to term as easily as possible, without complications. Achieving an optimal weight also helps to avoid a large number of diseases that aggravate obesity, and eliminate existing health problems whenever possible.
During the entire pregnancy, a woman should normally gain no more than 12 kg, provided that her body weight was normal for her before pregnancy. If before pregnancy the patient was overweight and was diagnosed with obesity, then she is recommended to gain no more than 8 kg during pregnancy so as not to cause complications for the body associated with the combination of gestation and excess weight.
In addition, obese pregnant women need more careful monitoring of their condition and the condition of the intrauterine fetus. It is mandatory to monitor blood and urine glucose levels, as well as at least a two-time glucose tolerance test, which is carried out at certain times in accordance with the current protocol for the management of pregnancy in women at high risk of developing diabetes, which includes obese patients.
Pregnant women are given recommendations on food intake, principles of creating their diet, and lifestyle in general. If all recommendations are followed, the course of pregnancy may not be marred by complications, and the birth will be normal and physiological.
Thus, excess weight can affect conception only when an excess of adipose tissue is proven, since it is obesity that can lead to infertility.
In this case, it makes sense to undergo an examination in order to identify direct and indirect causes of infertility. Sometimes the examination reveals factors that, it would seem, do not have a direct impact on a woman’s ability to become pregnant. So, in particular, women often have a question about whether excess weight affects conception and ovulation, and how this happens.
It is a well-known fact that excess weight is not only unsightly, but can also cause various diseases. The easiest way to determine whether a woman is overweight is to subtract 110 from her height in centimeters. The resulting figure is the ideal weight for a given height. Exceeding the norm by more than 20% becomes a serious cause for alarm. There is a formula for calculating body mass index. To obtain the body mass index, you need to divide your body weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters. If the resulting index ranges from 20 to 25, then the weight is normal, above 25 is overweight, above 30 are already signs of obesity.
There is no direct relationship between a woman’s ability to get pregnant and her weight. There are many examples of overweight women giving birth to several children without any problems. And vice versa, when women with an ideal weight cannot get pregnant for years. And, nevertheless, there is every reason to believe that a woman’s excess weight can be an indirect cause of infertility. There are a number of facts to support this opinion.
Overweight women are much more likely to experience menstrual irregularities under the influence of an endocrine factor, which leads to infertility. Often, reducing excess weight by at least 10% leads to normalization of the menstrual cycle.
Excess weight disrupts the balance of sex hormones in a woman’s body, which in turn directly affects conception and ovulation. For example, female sex hormones (estrogens and progesterones) regulate the ovulation process. During the process of ovulation, the egg matures. Progesterones prepare a woman’s body to accept a mature egg, and estrogens, in turn, control progesterones. Fat cells activate the production and accumulation of large amounts of estrogens, the excess of which blocks progesterones. As a result, ovulation is disrupted and the egg does not mature.
Estrogens accumulated in fat deposits send signals to the pituitary gland in the brain, which produces FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) about its excess. As a result, FSH production decreases, which disrupts ovarian function and ovulation.
In addition, an increased level of estrogen in a woman’s body creates a risk of the formation of various types of tumors, such as fibroids and uterine fibroids, which is also often the cause of infertility.
Another unpleasant consequence of excess estrogen in the body of an overweight woman is endometriosis of the uterus (overgrowth of the lining of the uterus). As a result of hormonal disorders, the uterine lining is not completely shed during menstruation, which negatively affects ovulation and, as a result, leads to infertility.
The consequence of excess weight in a woman can be a disease such as polycystic ovary syndrome. Hormonal imbalance in a woman’s body leads to the accumulation of partially mature eggs in the ovaries, which again leads to disruption of the menstrual cycle. With polycystic disease, the ovaries increase the production of androgen hormones, the accumulation of which slows down ovulation, often ovulation may stop completely. Polycystic ovary syndrome is more common in women over 30 years of age who already have children, and can cause secondary infertility.
In addition to hormonal imbalances, excess weight can cause other physiological changes in a woman’s body, leading to infertility. The distribution of body fat is of great importance. If fat deposits are evenly distributed, this is not as fraught with consequences as the accumulation of fatty tissue in certain places on a woman’s body. But, unfortunately, most often the majority of fat deposits are formed in a woman in the abdomen and thighs. In this case, blood flow in this area of the body is disrupted, and accordingly, metabolism in the woman’s internal genital organs (uterus and ovaries) is disrupted. These disorders can lead to the formation of adhesions in the fallopian tubes, which directly affects their patency and is often the cause of infertility.
Excess weight is especially dangerous for girls during puberty and the formation of childbearing functions of a future woman. Hormonal imbalance during this period can have the most serious consequences. Excess weight during a girl's puberty disrupts hormonal levels. Hormones, in turn, change the girl’s body structure, which can contribute to the accumulation of fat deposits. This vicious circle must be controlled precisely during the maturation period. In addition, according to experts, excess weight in adolescence contributes to early puberty, and subsequently instability of the menstrual cycle and disruption of the ovulation process.
It is impossible to say in advance whether excess weight will affect conception and ovulation in each specific case. When planning a pregnancy, it is advisable to bring your body into full readiness for stress. And reducing excess weight, as a path to a healthy lifestyle, should be one of the first places in the process of preparing for pregnancy. However, it is completely unacceptable to exhaust your body with diets and long hours of training when planning a pregnancy. The process of losing weight should be gradual and painless for the body of the expectant mother.
Gynecologists and endocrinologists recommend that young couples who have been trying to get pregnant for many years pay attention to the problem of obesity. Excess weight and infertility are inextricably linked. Experts point to concomitant diseases that arise as a result of excess body weight. The vegetative-vascular system, reproductive organs, and gastrointestinal tract suffer, and endocrine disorders occur. The cause of infertility often lies in these pathologies.
Reproductologists and gynecologists have been dealing with the problem of overweight or underweight for a long time. It has been proven that obesity, as well as anorexia, negatively affects the reproductive system. It is difficult for a woman not only to become pregnant, but also to bear and give birth to a healthy child. In men, sperm count indicators worsen. Germ cells become non-viable and inactive.
How to determine your ideal weight
Testing for obesity is easy. In the modern world, it is customary to focus on BMI - body mass index. It is calculated using weight and height data. A simple calculation is to subtract the number 100 (for women) and 110 (for men) from height. Example: a woman’s height is 162 kg, subtract 100 from this value, you get 62 - ideal weight.
Obesity and infertility in women
The chances of getting pregnant are reduced in women who are overweight. Obesity causes negative manifestations of the body and emerging pathologies.
- Excess body weight leads to serious disorders of the cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract, making it more difficult for a woman to conceive, bear and give birth to a child.
- the amount of estrogen increases, which also leads to infertility (hormonal imbalances become the root cause of the unlikely natural conception).
- fertility occurs, excess weight provokes a decline in reproductive functions.
- In obese women, pregnancy is often difficult, and the risk of premature birth and early miscarriages is high.
- Obesity is the cause of menstrual irregularities and absence.
The listed consequences can cause infertility in a woman. They do not appear in aggregate. Just one point can affect the functioning of the reproductive system.
Obesity and infertility in men
The chances of getting pregnant decrease when it comes to male obesity. Often, excess body weight leads to the fact that a married couple has to seek help from fertility specialists. In the stronger sex, obesity and infertility are associated with impaired secretory function and hormonal imbalance. The importance of sex hormones, testosterone and prolactin, is incredibly high. Normally, the former should exceed the latter in terms of performance. If there is an increased level of prolactin in the blood, we can talk about a violation of spermatogenesis and a deterioration in the reproductive function of a man.
Conception is unlikely if the stronger sex is obese for the following reasons:
- as a result of excess weight, bladder function is impaired and retrograde ejaculation occurs;
- the quality of genetic material, sperm motility and viability suffers;
- inability to have full sexual intercourse;
- Due to weight loss, most men develop varicocellus (varicose veins of the scrotum), which leads to infertility.
Obesity and IVF
Many couples resort to in vitro fertilization due to excess weight. This decision can be suggested by a doctor when infertility is discovered in one of the spouses. But the chances of an excellent pregnancy and successful conception are reduced if you do not undergo special preparation before IVF.
Obesity is the reason for several attempts at artificial conception. They will not always be successful. To prepare as much as possible for the procedure and reduce risks, you must adhere to the following rules.
- A woman or man suffering from obesity should go on a special diet. Their daily menu excludes fatty foods that are high in calories. You need to pay attention to fiber and plant foods. Forget about fast food, baked goods, carbonated drinks.
- An unhealthy lifestyle and decreased activity are considered to reduce the chances of conceiving. Both spouses are recommended to quit smoking and eliminate alcohol from their lives. Do more sports, ideal for overweight people: yoga, Pilates, swimming.
- Preliminary preparation is not complete without medications. Patients are prescribed proton pump inhibitors (Omez, Nolpaza, etc.). They help reduce the risk of gastrointestinal complications when losing weight; a feeling of fullness comes faster, which is important when losing weight.
Ideally, a man or woman should lose 2-3 kg of their actual body weight every month. On average, preparation for IVF lasts for these couples from 3 months to a year. The duration depends on the degree of obesity. Hormonal therapy may also be required during the preparation phase.
Treatment of infertility with obesity
Treatment of obesity takes place in several stages. The course of therapy depends on the degree of excess body weight. First of all, specialists carry out the necessary tests to understand the cause of infertility. High weight is not always the deciding factor. The inability to conceive occurs due to hormonal imbalances, dysfunction of the thyroid gland, gynecological problems in women and impaired spermatogenesis in men. These pathologies are the consequences of obesity. Therefore, the first point doctors prescribe is a strict diet based on the exclusion of fatty and high-calorie foods. The following is added to therapy (depending on the individual causes of infertility):
- hormonal drugs;
- medications that improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
- COCs (combined hormonal oral contraceptives, if gynecological pathologies are observed);
- Drugs that support the cardiovascular system.
Gynecologists talk about the importance of losing weight. Patients with 1 degree of obesity manage to become pregnant naturally in 80% of cases by losing body weight and bringing it to normal levels. Urologists note high sperm counts in men after losing weight and undergoing special treatment.
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