Hello mom friend!

Have you ever wondered or thought about how your weight might have something to do with your difficulty getting pregnant? There is a myth that being fat or overweight can interfere with the pregnancy process. Is that so? Well, let’s discuss and solve it together with the point of view of reproductive health.

So, how does being obese or overweight affect fertility?[1,2]

Well, here’s the thing:

When our body has a good proportion of weight per height, the reproductive hormonal process can run well too. When our bodies have more stored fat; the prime suspect for being overweight or obese; a hormone called leptin is produced in greater amounts by the fat. This leptin hormone can affect the reproductive cycle (menstruation and egg release) which is important for the fertilization process (the meeting of sperm and egg).[1]

Imagine Mom, when the menstrual cycle and/or egg release is disrupted, the fertilization process can be hampered. In addition, obesity can also impact the quality of our eggs. All of these can affect our chances of getting pregnant.[1-2]

The same thing happened to Dad. Sperm production will be suppressed resulting in reduced quantity and quality. This will affect the fertilization process, where the sperm may not be able to reach the egg to initiate fertilization due to their suboptimal number and quality.[2]

But don’t worry, moms! There is good news! We can do many things to improve our reproductive health. Let’s see, with just 2 ways to maintain Ideal Weight the Healthy Way:

  1. Balanced Diet: Let’s enjoy healthy foods that are rich in fiber, lean protein, and complex carbohydrates. Stay away from processed and high-sugar foods.[3]
  2. Regular Physical Activity: Walking, running, or swimming for 30 minutes every day can make our bodies healthier and help us maintain our ideal weight.[4]

So, what are we waiting for? So I understand more but now I don’t know where to start and what I want to do? Need help choosing a Diet and Physical Activity that suits your preferences? You can really consult directly with our specialists at WIN Fertility Center: Let’s start early, keep your body healthy!

Hopefully this article is useful for all Healthy Friends. Feel free to share this information with your family and friends!

For more information about pregnancy program click here!

Source:

  1. Hunter, E., Avenell, A., Maheshwari, A., Stadler, G., & Best, D. (2021). The effectiveness of weight-loss lifestyle interventions for improving fertility in women and men with overweight or obesity and infertility: A systematic review update of evidence from randomized controlled trials. Obesity Reviews, 22. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13325.
  2. Amiri, M., & Tehrani, F. (2020). Potential Adverse Effects of Female and Male Obesity on Fertility: A Narrative Review. International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 18. https://doi.org/10.5812/ijem.101776.
  3. Skoracka, K., Ratajczak, A., Rychter, A., Dobrowolska, A., & Krela-kaźmierczak, I. (2021). Female Fertility and the Nutritional Approach: The Most Essential Aspects. Advances in Nutrition, 12, 2372 – 2386. https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmab068.
  4. Hunter, E., Avenell, A., Maheshwari, A., Stadler, G., & Best, D. (2021). The effectiveness of weight-loss lifestyle interventions for improving fertility in women and men with overweight or obesity and infertility: A systematic review update of evidence from randomized controlled trials. Obesity Reviews, 22. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13325.