What Is The Ideal Weight For Fertility?

Medical Contribution By Dr. Melissa Esposito

Evidence continues to unfold through research on clear connections between a person's weight and their fertility. Most of the research in this area has been conducted on women, where statistics clearly bear out that both too little and too much weight can alter what might otherwise be an optimal reproductive ability. Examples include two studies that were presented at the recent meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

• In the first study, more than 150,000 treatment cycles were examined and revealed that both cycle cancellation rates rose while conception and pregnancy rates decreased as a patient’s obesity increased.
• The second showed that women with BMI's that were either above or below the normal range were more likely to produce immature eggs during ART cycles, leading to lower odds of successful embryo transfer.

"Ovulation irregularities have long been known to be affected by a woman's overall health," says Dr. Melissa Esposito of Shady Grove Fertility's Frederick Office. "Nobody who comes into my office wants to hear that they need to lose weight. But I'm a firm believer in the evidence, both in studies and in my own patients, that getting to an optimal weight results in better fertility. It's safer for pregnancy, too."

Men are also showing up in research on weight and fertility. Researchers recently presented findings that men with diets higher in saturated and monounsaturated fats had lower sperm concentration numbers. On the other hand, those with higher intakes of omega-6 polyunsaturated fats had greater sperm motility, while the semen analysis for those eating more omega-3 fats showed better morphology.

Losing Weight to Gain a Family

Dr. Esposito says that the data is so important, she starts discussing it with patients at their first consultation.

"Naturally, we take a baseline reading of every patient's health markers at their first visit -- things like blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) -- along with their health history. If their BMI is less than 18 or greater than 25, I talk with them about the impact this may have on their ability to get pregnant," Dr. Esposito explains.

A persons body mass index is calculated by the patient's height and weight. A BMI measurement within the 19 - 25 range is considered normal. BMI extremes in either direction can have varying effects on the reproductive system, and reduce the chance of successful conception.

While weight shouldn't prohibit a woman from seeking fertility therapy, at Shady Grove Fertility, patients must have a BMI of less than 40 before initiating an IVF cycle and a BMI less than 44 before initiating IUI cycles. Fortunately, the desire to have a family helps patients recognize the problem and directs efforts to do something about it.

Dr. Esposito says she and her colleagues at Shady Grove Fertility are sensitive to the patient's take on conversations about weight. How and what a person eats is very personal territory, so much so that Dr. Esposito reports "It's easier for a lot of patients to stop smoking than to change their diet and exercise habits."

Many Shady Grove Fertility physicians can recommend dietitians and nutritionists in their area to help patients with their weight loss goals and instill new lifestyle habits to help reduce pregnancy risks. Another resource for patients is Pulling Down the Moon, SGFC’s complementary medicine partner, which gives patients immediate access to education, support, and most importantly, a variety of techniques to make positive, fertility-enhancing nutritional changes.

"It's a tough talk to have with people who are already feeling left out of this big life event," Dr. Esposito adds, "but they don't walk out of my office empty-handed. We don't turn away patients. We help them visualize a real plan to make their dreams happen, no matter what side of the scale they're seeing."

For more information regarding weight and fertility, or to schedule an appointment to see one of our physician, please speak with one of our friendly new patient liaisons by calling 888-761-1967.