The majority of women who are overweight do not experience infertility, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine reports. However, the medical community sees a relationship between body mass index (BMI) and infertility. If you are a woman of childbearing age whose BMI falls outside of the range of normal, meaning you are either under- or overweight, making changes in your lifestyle may increase your chances of becoming pregnant.
Significance
If you are experiencing infertility, your doctor may want to evaluate your BMI very closely. A BMI below 18.5 indicates that you are underweight, and having a BMI of 20.0 or below is linked to infertility, according to research published in 2002 in the journal "Epidemiology." A BMI of 25.0 to 29.9 and higher reflects that you are overweight, or even obese, and studies have revealed several reasons why your weight may be affecting your ability to become pregnant, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine explains. If your BMI puts you into any of these categories, talk to your doctor about changes you can make get your BMI within normal range.
Function
As many as 12 percent of cases of infertility are linked to patients being underweight, or having a BMI less than 20.0. And up to 25 percent of infertility cases are likely caused by patients being overweight, or having a BMI greater than 25.0. A body weight that is too low for a patient's height is associated with a disruption in hormones that results in amenorrhea, or absence of menstruation for three to six months or longer, according to the Mayo Clinic. Conversely, a body weight that is too high for a patient's height may also result in hormonal imbalances and amenorrhea. Whatever the reason, it is important that your doctor attempt to find the exact cause of your infertility, because treating an underlying condition, in addition to changes in diet and exercise, may help you become pregnant faster than just treating your weight alone.
Effects
Whether you are under- or overweight, if you are experiencing amenorrhea, your hormonal cycle has been disrupted, and you are not menstruating. If you are not menstruating, you are more than likely not ovulating. And if you are not ovulating, your ovaries are not releasing the egg necessary for pregnancy to occur, the Merck Manuals explain. Any disruption in this cycle may result in a failure of the occurrence of ovulation, or anovulation. If you are trying to become pregnant, this anovulation will, frustratingly, result in infertility.
Identification
Your doctor will perform an assessment of you that will likely include gathering information about your diet and exercise habits, any medications you are taking, or whether or not you are under stress. Your diet and exercise habits correlate directly to your BMI, and changes to either or both will help you to obtain a healthier weight. There are certain medications, such as antidepressants and antipsychotics, that are linked to weight gain and infertility. Stress can a direct cause of a hormonal imbalance that results in a disruption or normal ovulation, or it can be an indirect cause by contributing to a high or low BMI, the Mayo Clinic reports.
If, after her initial assessment, your doctor does not uncover the probable reason for your infertility as it corresponds to your BMI, she will perform laboratory testing to rule out certain underlying conditions. Disruptions in normal pituitary, thyroid and ovarian function should be revealed in your laboratory results.
Solution
The treatment of your infertility will be directed at its underlying cause. If your BMI is too high or too low, but you do not have any additional risk factors, losing weight by modifying your diet and exercise regimen may increase your chances of becoming pregnant. If you are under a great deal of stress, adapting your lifestyle to avoid and/or offset that stress may be beneficial. If your laboratory results indicate a physiological condition that is either directly or indirectly causing your infertility, pharmacological intervention in addition to lifestyle changes may be warranted. Your doctor will discuss all of these possibilities of infertility --- as they relate to your BMI --- with you, as well as changes you can make to achieve your goal of pregnancy.
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