Being overweight or underweight may reduce a woman’s fertility
Much like a car, your body is a finely tuned machine with multiple systems that rely on each to work properly. The hormones your body makes can be compared to your car’s computer system, sending signals to many of your body’s systems to do their jobs properly. For example, hormones control ovarian function, telling it when to mature eggs and when to release them during ovulation. Being over or underweight has significant impacts on hormone production and can send the wrong signals to your ovaries. There is a strong connection between weight and infertility, highlighting the importance of maintaining a healthy balance.
Obesity affects ovulation
Obese women may stop ovulating because excess body fat disrupts the delicate hormonal balance required to release an egg. This occurs primarily through insulin resistance, which elevates testosterone levels, and through excess fat tissue, which converts extra androgens into high levels of estrogen that trick the brain and ovaries. Clearly, weight and infertility can interact in many ways in women’s health.
Being overweight or obese also carries an increased risk of miscarriage and decreased success with fertility treatments.
If you do become pregnant while being obese, this excessive weight also increases your risks associated with pregnancy. These can include high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, birth defects, high birth-weight infants and an increased risk of Cesarean section. This shows that weight and infertility can affect pregnancy outcomes both before and after conception.
Weight loss may improve fertility and pregnancy outcome. A body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, and obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 and above. Weight loss of 5% to 10% may dramatically improve ovulation and pregnancy rates.
Underweight women also have problems with ovulation
Weight and infertility are connected for both overweight and underweight individuals. Women who are underweight can also have problems achieving pregnancy. Underweight women are unable to produce the necessary hormones to trigger ovulation, which is essential for conception. Eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, can also lead to abnormal menstrual cycles and infertility. Low body fat percentages, common in female athletes, can interfere with ovulation and cause irregular periods or no period at all. It is not uncommon for dancers, professional athletes and runners to have ovulation problems.
Weight may also be a fertility issue for men
Obesity may impair hormonal levels and adversely affect fertility in men as well. A recent Harvard study finds that overweight and obese men are more likely than their normal-weight peers to produce lower numbers of sperm, or even no sperm at all. This could increase the likelihood that they would have difficulty conceiving. While the results don’t prove that excess weight leads to fertility troubles, having a lower sperm count can make it more difficult for men to conceive. Fortunately, your weight is typically one fertility risk factor that you can change. Gaining or losing just a few pounds may make a difference in your likelihood of conceiving.
