Getting yourself fit for fertility
Being overweight can affect fertility in both women and men.
Fortunately these effects can be reversed with relatively modest weight loss through a combination of diet and exercise.
What effect does being overweight have on fertility in women?
Being overweight often affects fertility in women due to a lack of ovulation and other more subtle metabolic effects. The success of assisted reproductive techniques is also reduced in overweight women with IVF success rates reduced by as much as 25% in obese patients and 50% in very obese patients.
Women affected by obesity are also at greater risk of pregnancy complications including pregnancy loss (miscarriage). The rate of recurrent miscarriage increases 4-fold in obese women.
What effect does being overweight have on fertility in men?
Being overweight also affects fertility in men.
A reduction in certain hormone levels reduces testosterone and sperm production, so that obese men may have sperm counts up to 50% lower than men of normal weight. This can reduce natural conception rates by up to 50% in couples where the male partner is obese.
Obese men may also have deformities in the DNA of their sperm and are twice as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction than men of normal weight.
Genea's Fertility Fit® Program
Fertility Fit® is a medically sound 12 week program for weight loss. It is a comprehensive support program to achieve weight loss to support fertility.
A fertility specialist will take your medical history, oversee the program and initiate investigation of your infertility. Our Accredited Practising Dietician will create a nutritional map for you and will guide you in your meal planning. Our exercise coach runs a sensitive and supportive program for women embarking on a weight loss journey to get pregnant. It involves a mix of personal goal setting and group activities. The overall aim is to improve your diet and reduce your weight to help improve your chances of conceiving naturally, or should you still require IVF, to increase your chance of success.
Click here to find out more about our Fertility Fit® Program.