Obesity and female infertility. Are they related?

Obesity is a known risk factor for ovulation problems, but it also contributes to infertility in women who ovulate normally, new research shows. Women in the study who were severely obese were 43% less likely to achieve pregnancy than normal-weight women or women who were considered overweight but not obese during the year long study.

Obesity and Infertility

Van der Steeg and colleagues followed 3,029 couples who were having trouble conceiving on their own. All the couples had spent a year or more trying to conceive, and none had obvious reasons for fertility problems — the women were ovulating and had at least one functioning fallopian tube, and the men had normal semen analyses. The couples were followed until pregnancy was achieved or until they started fertility treatments.

In addition to a fertility history, the women’s weight, height, and smoking status were measured at study entry. The women were classified as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese based on their body mass index (BMI).As measured by the BMI, a 5-foot 6-inch woman who weighs 115 to 154 pounds is considered normal weight (BMI of 18.5 to 24.9). If she weighs between 155 to 185 pounds she is considered overweight (BMI of 25 to 29.9), and she would be considered obese at a weight of 186 or more (BMI of 30+).The vast majority of the study participants (86%) were either normal weight or overweight. An additional 10% were obese, with BMIs of 30 or more. These women had the most trouble conceiving during the yearlong observation.For example, a woman with a BMI of 35 was found to be 26% less likely to achieve a spontaneous pregnancy than women who were normal weight or overweight but not obese.A woman with a BMI of 40 or more was 43% less likely to get pregnant.

Role of Obesity Is Complex

It is not clear how obesity affects fertility in women who ovulate normally. Van der Steeg suggests that disruptions in the hormone leptin, which regulates appetite and energy expenditure, may prevent successful fertilization. Obesity results in an increased production of estrogen; this hormonal imbalance in turn interferes with ovulation, which of course, is the basis of successful conception.Ovulatory disorders are the leading cause of female infertility, resulting in the disruption of hormones, menstrual cycles, and conception. Approximately 15% of such disorders are linked to weight disorders, mainly being overweight and obese.High estrogen levels associated with obesity can also result in pre-cancerous transformations (usually reversible) in the uterus. According to several studies, women whose obesity could be traced back to their childhood (childhood obesity) had a greater risk of amenorrhea, a condition in which menstrual cycles are absent. Women who are overweight or obese are less likely to respond to fertility drugs, because excess weight interferes with the proper absorption of a variety of drugs used in infertility treatment. Obesity is a characteristic of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); obesity can also affect male fertility.

Treating Obesity

There are many options available in treating obesity, such as:

Altering your diet. Avoid foods that are high in saturated or Trans fats or that are high in sugar. Enrich your diet with whole grains, vegetables, fruits and lean sources of protein.

Infertility Diet

Seeds, nuts, curd and cottage cheese.

Physical debility and functional faults of organic nature can be cured by simple and effective methods of natural treatment, of which optimum nutrition is an essential part. Fasting is the best remedy for the treatment of disorders resulting from toxins in the system. A short fast of two or three day should be undertaken at regular intervals by women who are unable to bear children. Diet is an important factor in the treatment of infertility. It should contain seeds, nuts, grains, vegetables, and fruits. These foods should be supplemented with milk, vegetable oils, and honey. Curd and cottage cheese are also recommended. About seventy to eighty per cent of the diet should consist of foods in their natural uncooked state, because cooking destroys much of the nutritional value of most foods. Sprouting is an excellent way of consuming seeds, beans, and grains in their raw form, as in the process of sprouting, the nutritional value is multiplied, new vitamins are created and the protein quality is improved.

Food to be avoided

Excessive fat, spicy foods, strong tea, coffee, white sugar, white flour, refined cereals, flesh foods, greasy or fried foods should all be avoided.

Exercise regularly. Even moderate forms of exercise, such as walking or low-impact aerobics, can lead to healthy weight loss

Gastric bypass surgery. Many people who are obese turn to surgery in order to reduce their appetites.

Numerous studies have indicated that obesity causes infertility in both men and women and losing weight may restore your fertility. Obesity especially adolescent obesity is an alarming problem in society.So measures to reduce weight or to maintain ideal weight can play wonders.