You may already know that weighing too much can dramatically lower your chances of getting pregnant.
Luckily, new programs are helping women slim down and get in the best shape possible for conceiving and having a baby.
The research is pretty indisputable: Being overweight (defined as having a body mass index, or BMI, of at least 25) can make it tougher to get pregnant, because excess body fat can wreak havoc on hormones. Simply put, fat cells convert male hormone (all women have some) into a female hormone, which may affect the hypothalmic-pituitary axis of the brain—the master center for everything related to reproduction.
The fact that more of us than ever now are carrying extra poundage is making matters worse. Randy Morris, M.D., medical director of IVF1 in Chicago and Naperville, Illinois, says his center has seen the percentage of obese women seeking fertility treatment jump from 9 to 39 percent in the last three years. Other reproductive endocrinologists cite similar increases. Since the procedure is considered less safe and less likely to be successful in seriously overweight women, many clinics now set BMI limits—usually 35, sometimes 40—for accepting patients.
Plus, of course, once overweight women do become pregnant there are increased risks of complications, including gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, and a greater likelihood of a cesarean delivery.
All this is reason enough to slim down before pregnancy or fertility treatment, but that’s easy to say. We all know how hard losing weight—and keeping it off—is at any time. And drastically cutting your caloric intake isn’t smart when you’re trying to conceive.
Now for the Good News
Thankfully, the picture is far from dire. For starters, improving your chances for pregnancy doesn’t require dropping down to fashion model weight. “Studies indicate it doesn’t need to be a profound amount of weight loss; dropping 5 to 10 percent of your body weight could be sufficient to increase fertility,” says Dr. Morris. That means as little as a 10-pound weight loss could make a difference, depending on your starting weight.
And for many women, the desire to become pregnant is a powerful motivating force for weight loss. “One patient of mine who was overweight realized the clock was ticking and she went on Weight Watchers,” says Andrew Toledo, M.D., a reproductive endocrinologist at Reproductive Biology Associates in Atlanta. “She walked in here the other day and she’d lost 100 pounds, and now she’s pregnant.” Weight loss alone may make it possible for 70 percent of couples to conceive if their infertility is the result of a body weight problem, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Doctors agree that it’s safe to start or continue a healthy weight loss program while you’re trying to conceive or undergoing fertility treatment. “As long as it’s sensible, where you’re losing about a pound a week—nothing drastic—it’s fine,” says Dr. Toledo.
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She Likes to Move It, Move It
Exercise is a key component of weight loss, of course. Although little research has looked at how much and what kinds are best when you’re trying to get pregnant, experts consider walking, swimming, yoga, and strength training—all done at light to moderate intensity, and not for extended periods—some of the safest and most beneficial exercises for fertility patients. And now two new fitness programs specifically aimed at fertility patients may help.
In March 2006, Laurence Jacobs, M.D., a reproductive endocrinologist with Fertility Centers of Illinois (FCI), started Fit and Fertile, a free exercise program to help women—especially those with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)— reduce insulin resistance and lose weight to improve their odds of conceiving.
The Fit and Fertile approach is simple: Participants wear a weighted 12-pound X2 vest for 30 minutes twice a day while exercising or doing daily activities to increase calorie burning. Participants are encouraged to work out twice a day, for a half an hour each time. As women continue in the program, they can put heavier weights in the vest to increase the workout. Says Dr. Jacobs, “What I found attractive [about the vest] is that it’s something I can fit into my life. The common complaint I hear all the time—since about 95 percent of the women I treat are working full-time—is that going to the health club three or four times a week is not going to happen.” Early indications show the approach may work: In Dr. Jacobs’ initial group of 17 women, 10 have become pregnant. More women have since joined . . . and more have become pregnant. Though Fit and Fertile is based in Illinois, Dr. Jacobs says women anywhere can sign up on the website for more information at no cost. The X2 vest, however, will set you back $130.
Feeding Your Fertility
Another program, Fully Fertile Nutrition & Fitness Program, was recently launched by Pulling Down the Moon, a chain of yoga studios in the Chicago area. The eight-week plan includes hour-long nutrition and fitness consultations, a pedometer, a workbook to track meals and exercise, and four weigh-in visits. Each participant is given a “fertile weight prescription that’s not a teeny bikini weight,” explains Beth Heller, a co-founder. Heller and co-founder Tamara Quinn also work with FCI and recommend the X2 vest, as well as regular yoga classes. Rather than simply shedding extra pounds, the Fully Fertile Nutrition & Fitness Program emphasizes making broader changes to lifelong eating patterns; for instance, a certified nutritionist will talk to you about how to plan and prepare meals that incorporate more unprocessed whole foods (these keep blood sugar levels in check). The cost of the Fully Fertile Nutrition & Fitness Program is $210, not including yoga classes; visit www.pullingdownthemoon.com for more information, or call (312) 321-0004.
In the middle of two very difficult circumstances—trying to lose weight and trying to conceive a baby—remember that your powerful desire and commitment to have a child is perhaps one of the very few emotions strong enough to counter feelings connected to overeating and inactivity. “When we’re trying to conceive, we have this incredible motivation that can help people get to the root of a weight issue that’s helping to prevent them from getting pregnant,” says Beth Heller. “This time, as much as it’s difficult, and the weight is an added struggle, it’s also the time to reach goals for yourself, your husband, and your family in the future. This motivation is pretty special.”
This article originally appeared in the Fall 2007 issue of Conceive.
Related Topics: Boost Your Fertility; Fertility Health; Fertility Nutrition; Fertility Threats; Stress and Fertility
