Obese & Infertile

[ditzyangeluk]

Being obese is hard enough in the world we live in (I know, fault of the person, blah blah!) but anyone been told "you won't get pregnant at your weight & there is nothing we can do for you"?

But surely if there are medical reasons for saying this then what can be done apart from losing weight?

I don't think anyone can conclusively say that you won't get pregnant at any weight, however obesity and infertility are certainly linked eg here and if you google there are many similar articles.

How overweight are you?

well, it's not a matter of fault, but there is some truth in that, isn't there?
Have you gfot a good GP who could support you/refer you on and help you diet/exercise-wise? You'll have a healthier pregnancty and better labour then too. better to lose the weight than take drugs etc via IVF, surely?
sorry not to be more helpful. sure some people on here can give some good advice.

thought I'd push my luck with not taking the morning after pill - welcome DS age2.

I'm a good 22/24 on a thin day, no, you might not be infertile because of your weight.

Howevr, it is just not healthy to be my size and I'm working on it. There is no way I would consider TTC at my current weight, not due to fertility but due to risk of complications. One emergency CS is one too many for me!

Are you talking about TTC or undergoing infertility treatment??? if its about recieving treatment, then unfortunately your weight will go against the medics clinical reasoning.

have to admit - I didn't fall pregnant with DD until I lost some weight... I had been trying for 7 years before that - although not really trying, just not trying not to (iykwim)... ie no conceptracptive)...

it didn't need to lose much, but I had been at ww for about 3 months when suddendly was PG... and after 7 years - I have just assumed that is why....

ditzyangeluk - it can't have been nice to hear.

And if it were true that 'all you have to do is eat less and exercise more' there wouldn't be many obese people to speak of!

I mean, physically that is true, but I'm well aware that there is a strong psychological element to obesity. People should be supported tbrough weight-loss, not ticked off like children.

Hi, I was a size 22/24 when I fell pregnant with dd1 and fell pregnant within 6 months and fell pregnant with dd2 the first month we tried. I did end up having an emergency CS with dd1 because of failure to progress (probably due to my weight) and had a planned CS with dd2 because she was breach. I joined weight watchers before xmas and have lost 8 lbs, we are considering trying for another baby next year and I would like to lose some weight before we try as I would like to increase my changes of a natural birth.

Good Luck.

I was almost 20 stone when I became pregnant - being obese doesn't necessarily lead to infertility, and it may not be the reason that someone has difficulty conceiving. The problem you may have is that the medical staff may well refuse to treat you until they have ruled out obesity as a factor in your infertility, and the only way they can do that is if you lose weight.

I lost 2 stone prior to having DD2 and before I lost the weight my periods were all over the place, cycle up to 47 days, lost the weight cycle came back done to 31 days and I got pg. I think being overweight effects us all differently HTH.

seb1: My 'cycle' is approx 45 days every time - isn't that regular?!)
WigWamBam: Obesity runs through my family & my sis was 18 stone & my other sis 22 stone when they got pregnant
kslatts: Good luck with #3!
Boobooroastingonanopenfire: No, not nice to hear but pretty much used to it through my life - if I have ear-ache it's because of my weight. Amazing eh?! Mmmm, if only it were a case of "eat less and exercise more" (latter more difficult due to osteo arthritis in my back). There is too much of being "ticked off like children" that I now retaliate - I even wear a t-shirt now when dealing with the medicals ... it says 'Yes I am overweight, now get over it & move on. What now!?' Funny, they never comment on that!
ipodthereforipoor: No, it isn't necessarily healthy but if I were to conceive naturally it wouldn't be an issue. I cannot undergo any treatment or even investigations due to the weight
MissChief: Oh yes, I have a great GP who actually poo-poos the whole 'too fat for baby' thing, bless him! But there are limits to what he can do
nothercules: Nothing can be done apart from losing the weight as they won't/don't even consider it
CountessDracula: I know obesity and infertility are certainly linked (believe me I have read everything there is to read from every source)
As to how overweight I am ... too much I know. But it should not exclude the options to investigate further (I've had two pregnancies that ended in miscarriage but was told these must have been 'flukes'!)
Just pees me off

A 45 day cycle would be seen as an irregular cycle. A "normal" cycle length is a cycle length of between 21 and 35 days or with a variation of 4 days or less from month to month.

Ditzy, it must be very hard to hear it being said when you are having all these difficulties, so sympathy for that and I know it's not easy to lose weight. But I personally wouldn't contemplate trying to conceive being very overweight, naturally or by IVF. I did end up becoming pregnant when I was a size 20 (which I am now) but it wasn't the plan. It isn't easy being pregnant at that size and I personally wouldn't recommend anyone puts themselves through it by choice.

I have gallstones which mean I'm up quite a few nights a week and I really need my gallbladder removed. But until I have got my weight back to something sensible, I am not prepared to put my self under a GA and have invasive surgery. I am going to have a really good go at cracking this weight thing once and for all this year as I've had enough. Good luck with things, I hope they work out for you.

No, your weight shouldn't be an obstacle to having investigation or fertility treatment. But because there can be a link between the one and the other, I guess it's all about cost - rule out the obesity as a factor before embarking on any other expensive treatment. It's wrong, but sadly it's the way things work.

Medical attitude to obesity isn't always what it should be - I have also met GPs who would blame everything from a sore throat to rubella on my weight. The problem is that sometimes they're right; there are conditions which can be either caused or exacerbated by being overweight. And I suppose it makes sense to them to look at the weight factor first, because on paper it's the easiest one to cure - the old "eat less, move more" argument which is so prevalant but which isn't the only factor involved in being overweight.

I think you're justified in being peed off about it. But how would you feel about losing a percentage of the weight that you have to lose, and then going back and asking what they can do for you now that you have fulfilled your part of the bargain? For one thing it would mean your body was in a better condition to carry a healthy pregnancy - there's no doubt that pregnancy can be more risky if you're very overweight (although mine was fine, many are not) and for another it might mean that if you need treatment, you wouldn't be overlooked for it.

I lost 4 stone and got pregnant - I do think that fertility can be affected by weight. But it is certainly not always the case. Just the same as being under weight can slow fertility - never stopped Posh!!!

Ditzy - please don't lose heart, anyone who tells you outright being overweight has made you infertile without doing lengthy tests to prove this is lazy and rude.

I have no doubt that in some people this is the case but not everyone.

When I fell pg (20stone+) my own stepmum said to me "it must be a miracle, everyone knows women your size can't have children" then every niggle throughout the pg she proclaimed "well its to be expected with the size you are"