5 Ways Obesity Can Make You Infertile

Many women are curious if being overweight might play into the likelihood of having a baby. Considering that the body undergoes plenty of changes as weight is gained, women wonder how this affects pregnancy and if there’s anything that harms the baby due to being overweight. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines obesity as scoring 30 or greater on a body mass index (BMI).

The best fertility naturopath Melbourne can show you to maintain a good fertility level should you be in shape, but data has proven that being overweight can cause a great risk for fertility. In fact, the higher a woman scores on the BMI, there is a 5% greater chance of being infertile and incapable of reproducing.

How Does Obesity Affect Fertility?

Being overweight can impact fertility which is caused by anovulation and disturbances in the menstrual cycle. Anovulation is a condition in which the ovaries don’t release the necessary egg cells in order for the pregnancy process to take off.

If you have one of the following weight-related conditions or issues, your chances of pregnancy may be in doubt:

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

PCOS can be a big contributor to infertility and becomes more severe if that woman in question is obese. PCOS commonly evolves during the initial menstrual cycle phase, though it’s often known as a result of gaining weight. There are various symptoms with PCOS, such as menstrual cycles that are painful, take long to complete, feel weighty, or just not present. PCOS can also occur if there are excessive amounts of androgen in the body, which is a male hormone. Another symptom to check is enlarged ovaries with sacs that don’t distribute eggs normally.

Testosterone Level Changes

Obesity can equate to lower levels of a substance called sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). This causes higher levels of free testosterone, which is also a contributor to getting PCOS.

Nullified Estrogen Control

As you may know already, estrogen is made in the ovaries and is necessary to reproduce. There’s a possibility that you can produce too much estrogen with your metabolism failing or not being capable of maintaining it. High levels of estrogen occur when adipose tissue creates an excess amount. Adipose tissue is found in the fat, explaining the concerns of weight gain in women.

Excess Leptin Levels

The adipose tissue also creates a hormone known as leptin, and there is a high correlation between high leptin levels and PCOS. Leptin is responsible for controlling body weight and appetite, though the resistance of leptin is often a commonality in overweight women. This means there is little to no control over weight gain and appetite. Insulin is what can help stimulate leptin, so there is also a pattern between increased insulin and increased leptin.

Hyperinsulinemia

It is debatable whether obesity causes hyperinsulinemia or hyperinsulinemia causes obesity. Hyperinsulinemia refers to high levels of insulin found in the blood. When this happens, insulin could play a role in changing many hormones necessary to produce. These include estrogen, progesterone, the luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). When there is an imbalance of these hormones, this affects the quality of your eggs. So even if your eggs are produced normally, conception still might not work or work with limited success.

Summary

There is a strong correlation between being overweight and being infertile. Changes in body weight can lead to anovulation, making ovaries incapable of initiating the pregnancy process. If you have PCOS, increased leptin, increased insulin, changes in testosterone, or out-of-control estrogen, this could lead to infertility.