Recent international research has shown that being overweight may reduce both the chance of conception and the response to fertility treatment.
Being overweight also increases the risk of miscarriage and pregnancy complications. Not forgetting, obesity can have an impact on male fertility also.
The overwhelming evidence demonstrates that losing weight increases fertility.
Am I Overweight?
That’s the all-important question and the BMI calculator is a really handy tool to help you figure out if you are overweight and if so, where you are on the spectrum.
BMI stands for ‘body mass index’, and is a number generated by dividing your body weight by your height.
A BMI calculator allows you to quickly figure out this number, giving you a general indication of whether your weight falls within a healthy range or not.
A healthy BMI is considered to be between 18.5 and 24.9. Having a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered ‘overweight’ and a BMI over 30 is considered ‘obese’.
To find out your BMI click on the following – find my BMI
Please note: the BMI calculator is only a guide but it is generally accepted as a reliable indicator for obesity.
My Weight And My Fertility
Assuming that the BMI calculator has indicated that your weight lies within the obese category, what next? It’s important to note that women who are overweight or have been referenced as obese on the BMI chart have a reduced chance of getting pregnant.
Not only that, the length of time to get pregnant can vary but more than a year and over is not uncommon.
Also, once pregnant, there is a range of medical conditions that may occur as a direct result of being obese; conditions that negatively impact both the mother and the baby she is carrying.
The good news is that weight loss has a hugely beneficial impact on both mother and baby and many of the conditions associated with being obese will not only reduce but in many instances disappear altogether.
Losing Weight – Next Steps
We’ve been operating weight loss programmes in Ireland for over 24 years. In that time, we’ve worked with many women who’ve struggled to get pregnant but after completing one of our weight loss programmes have gone on to lose weight, conceive and start a family of their own. Losing weight increases fertility.
Not only that, but by losing weight they have reduced and eliminated many of the medical conditions that prevailed while they were overweight.
- We invite you to book an initial assessment with your local Motivation Weight Management clinic.
- At the assessment we complete a full body composition analysis and take your measurements.
- We explain our approach in-depth and recommend the programme we believe is best for you. You’ll meet every week in one of our clinics nationwide for a relaxed one-to-one session.
- Make a cup of tea / coffee and read our free eBook, How Your Weight Can Affect Your Fertility.
