Many overweight couples suffer from infertility as a direct result of being overweight. An unhealthy weight can affect a woman’s fertility by causing hormonal imbalances and problems with ovulation (releasing an egg from the ovaries). Obesity is also associated with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a common cause of low fertility or infertility.
Preventing Ovulation: A woman’s ovaries produce the female hormone estrogen. Fat cells also make the hormone estrogen. In overweight women, the body produces too much estrogen causing the body to react as if you are taking a hormonal birth control with estrogen (Such as the pill, shot, or vaginal ring) or tricking the body into thinking you are already pregnant. Over production of estrogen can prevent the body from ovulating and having a monthly period. Many obese women suffer from irregular periods as a result of these factors.
Obesity & Men’s Fertility: Being overweight can also affect a man’s fertility. This is due to a combination of factors including hormone problems, problems with erection, and other health conditions linked to obesity.
For men, reaching a more healthy weight at least three months before conception can improve the chance of conception. This is because sperm take about three months to develop and being in the healthy weight range during this time helps develop healthy sperm.
New Study shows weight loss surgery may treat infertility in Obese Women
Six women in a recent study who were infertile due to obesity and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), became pregnant following weight loss surgery, researchers say. Other similar studies show that for women who suffer from obesity, losing weight raised their chances of getting pregnant. Losing weight also helped menstrual cycles to return to normal. In addition to this finding, many other studies have shown bariatric surgery to improve a large host of diseases and conditions, including diabetes. It appears infertility now joins that list.
Australian Couple have a baby girl after struggling with the decision to undergo Gastric Sleeve Surgery
Rachel Foreman, 28, was adamant that she would not have weight loss surgery. She had only been dating her now husband, Darren Foreman, for 18 months when he suggested they go and have surgery together. “I was really upset with him, I felt as though I wasn’t enough for him.”
At their heaviest, Rachel and Darren weighed 692 lbs between the two of them. They were repeatedly advised to lose weight, but struggled to do so. About two years after Darren first mentioned surgery, Rachel started to change her mind about getting the procedure when she realized that her weight was affecting their ability to get pregnant.
“It was negative pregnancy tests every single month and I just couldn’t do it anymore,” she says.
After years of dieting, exercising and failing to keep the weight off, Rachel and Darren were booked in for gastric sleeve surgery and they went together in 2018 to have the procedure on the same day.
“She’s just our entire world and more than we could have ever hoped for.”
A year after surgery things changed dramatically for the couple, who have shed a total of 233 lbs – but their life altering changes were not just on the scales.
“Our entire goal through weight loss surgery was to have a family and seven weeks ago we welcomed the birth of our beautiful little girl,” says Rachel.
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