| "> | | | | have ZERO chance of getting pregnant. |
| There is no escaping a cold, hard fact about female | | | | Fertility Problems for Larger Women |
| infertility - your weight can be the reason you are | | | | If you are on the larger side, you may be prone to |
| failing to get pregnant. | | | | Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) - another cause |
| Numerous studies have shown a woman's fertility can | | | | of infertility in women. Being overweight increases |
| be negatively affected if you are either overweight | | | | the likelihood of diabetes and hyperinsulinemia - two |
| or underweight. That's because either condition can | | | | more conditions that can negatively impact on your |
| put extra stress on all the vital organs necessary to | | | | fertility. |
| successfully conceive. Being overweight or | | | | Furthermore, if you are diagnosed with these |
| underweight can also result in irregular menstruation. | | | | conditions and you want to get pregnant using |
| And if you ovulate erratically, you have a much | | | | in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment, you chances of |
| reduced chance of conceiving a child. | | | | success will be greatly diminished. |
| Know your BMI | | | | Heavier women are also more likely to experience |
| So if you want to conceive, what can you do? Well, | | | | ectopic pregnancies (aka as tubal pregnancies) in |
| it is vital you know what is your 'optimum weight' so | | | | which the fetus starts growing in the fallopian tubes |
| you can get pregnant. Why? Because you are at | | | | rather than the uterus. Such pregnancies simply are |
| your most fertile when you are neither too thin nor | | | | not viable as the fetus cannot develop properly |
| too heavy. You can best do this by calculating your | | | | outside of the uterus. |
| Body Mass Index (BMI). | | | | By contrast, if your BMI is too low, your hormone |
| You need at least 18% body fat to ovulate and your | | | | production - in particular the vital production of |
| best chance of conceiving is when 20-25% of your | | | | estrogen - can be affected and again, your ovaries |
| body mass is fat tissue. A BMI over 25% of your | | | | cannot product the eggs you need to fertilize to |
| ideal weight can stop ovulation as too much fat can | | | | become pregnant. |
| disrupt your monthly cycle which in turn affects | | | | How badly do you want a baby? Enough to shed, or |
| estrogen levels. | | | | pack on a few pounds? |
| As estrogen is the main female reproductive | | | | To overcome this weight obstacle to getting |
| hormone, very low estrogen levels can result in the | | | | pregnant, you may need to take a long, hard - and |
| ovaries being incapable of releasing eggs. So... you | | | | honest! - look at yourself in the mirror. |