Our doctors discuss the importance of weight management for fertility

Many patients don’t realize that weight can affect their ability to conceive. Being overweight or underweight can interfere with ovulation and cause issues during pregnancy. As a result, The Fertility Center of Las Vegas talks to hopeful parents about weight management for fertility. Whether patients need advice about lifestyle changes for weight loss or gain, our Las Vegas infertility clinic is here with answers and support.

What is the link between weight loss and fertility?

Our doctors compare weight management for fertility to the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. A patient’s weight needs to be in just the right range to have the best chance of conceiving. That’s because being underweight or overweight can throw off the body’s delicate hormonal balance.

• When a patient is overweight, the body often has too much estrogen because both the ovaries and the increased number of fat cells make this hormone. The body then reacts as if it were on hormonal birth control with estrogen. The result can be a lack of ovulation. Additionally, being overweight often occurs in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common cause of infertility.
• The bodies of underweight patients may stop making estrogen entirely, which can cause irregular or even absent menstrual cycles and ovulation.

While underweight and overweight people may not ovulate for different reasons, both sets of patients can face fertility issues. The good news is that just a 5% reduction in body weight can improve fertility for overweight patients, while gaining weight can help those who are underweight.

Weight management for fertility can help make dreams of parenthood come true

Our Las Vegas infertility clinic believes in the importance of weight management for fertility. We’ve seen many times how lifestyle changes can help a patient reach a weight that allows for pregnancy.

• Making simple dietary changes to include nutritious foods and decrease caloric intake can help overweight patients achieve weight loss. As for underweight patients, increasing calories and nutrient-dense foods can promote healthy weight gain.
• Incorporating 300 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity (or 150 minutes of vigorous activity) can help patients lose weight. Patients who need to gain weight can rework their exercise routines to reduce the number of calories they burn.
• Taking steps to manage stress and improve sleep also plays an important role in weight and fertility.

If patients notice they still struggle to achieve a healthy weight, working with a physician can help. A trained professional like those at our Las Vegas infertility clinic can determine what is getting in the way of weight loss or gain. With this information, the doctor can assist the patient with weight management for fertility.

Contact us to learn more about how our team can help you achieve your family-building goals in a healthy and safe way.