Please sign this petition to get the BMI changed from 30 to 35 for NHS fertility!

[chingachush]

https://www.change.org/p/increase-the-nhs-bmi-weight-restriction-for-fertility-treatment?recruiter=293667181&recruited_by_id=bf6d0b20-f701-11e4-9f62-6d7cc10ea0ec&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=starter_onboarding_share_personal&utm_medium=mobileNativeShare&share_id=brbWsCcSgG&fbclid=IwRlRTSARmse1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeXkDtrGv2zp7pQtCwv9Kxcv_X3w0AkptCWgXhZtxwv9EOjooMIWSGFfWox3s_aem_ClORFNmkV152kJePKTN2SA

Why? Bmi 30 is already overweight. I was high risk with a bmi of 35 in my second pregnancy.

Lose some weight -happy days.

This is unlikely to be changed because fertility treatment is already viewed as a low priority compared to eg cancer treatment in terms of health spending decisions. And raising the BMI limit would have a knock on much larger cost impact in terms of pregnancy complications.

https://theheavyweightmidwife.com/

Useful and reassuring resource for those worried about (themselves or others) being labelled high risk purely based on BMI. My private clinic have amazing results and no BMI restrictions (Thérapie Fertility in Dublin).

@MissCooCooMcgoomy BMI is 31 I’m a size 14 and I’m 5’5 I’m not fat by any means but because of the BMI calculator I’m well and truly ‘overweight’. I work out, I eat healthy, I do all the things I’m supposed to do but yet the weight won’t shift. My BMI used to be 33 and I’ve got it down but it’s those few pounds more that I need to get off that won’t shift. What about body builders whose BMI is over 30 due to muscle? Do they not deserve a chance? It’s an outdated thing that should be stopped now. I know someone who had issues with fertility and had to lose weight - she’s 4 years on and still has an eating disorder due to the pressure she felt to lose weight for this. It can be detrimental. I’ve suffered mentally severely because of how ashamed I am of my perfectly fine body only because the scales tip a little bit heavy.

I understand your points, but statistically IVF has a better chance of working with a BMI under 30. I say that as someone who started IVF with a BMI of 30 myself, paying privately.

With care fertility they accept patients BMI 35 and under

I understand what you are saying OP and it's frustrating for you, but they have to draw the line somewhere. They can't just stop using the BMI scale without another tool to replace it with.

If they did what you are suggesting then, yes, although that body builder would get treatment, it would open the doors to a huge amount of ineffective treatment and wasting money, which realistically the NHS cannot cope with at the moment.

Fertility treatment is more effective at a normal weight, and pregnancy is also easier and smoother - it is just a fact.

I say this as someone who started treatment with a BMI of 33 and had to lose weight.