The Effects Your BMI Has On Your Success Odds In IVF!

Medical studies suggest that IVF can be affected by an unhealthy BMI. Cases have been observed where having a low or high BMI has caused complications during IVF, for both men and women. Read on to learn more about the condition.

BMI:

Body Mass Index is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that is applicable to men and women. According to BMI,

• Less than 18.5 is underweight.
• Between 18.5 – 24.9 is normal.
• More than 30 is obese, 25 – 29.9 is overweight.

Women can be overweight and underweight while conceiving, but a healthy BMI is required for the good health of both mother and baby.

BMI and IVF:

According to a study in 2013, the rates of pregnancy and embryo implantation decreased as the BMI increased in the patients. Medical research shows that obesity may affect the egg quality of women, therefore reducing the success rates of the IVF procedure. To ensure that the eggs ripen at the correct time for IVF, an obese woman may require additional doses of fertility medications than women with normal BMI.

This complicates the procedure. For over and underweight patients, it has been observed that the doctors find it difficult to reach the eggs during the egg retrieval procedure. This reduces the rates of conception. Patients having improper BMI are also said to produce immature eggs during IVF cycles.

Similarly, patients having a low BMI can have ovulatory dysfunction, where the patient ovulates infrequently. This creates problems during the IVF process. There are other complications that have been observed for improper BMI. They are

• High chances of miscarriage.
• High chances of caesarean section delivery.
• Pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and hypertension.

From the above information and evidence, we can conclude that having a normal BMI can have a significant impact on fertility and IVF procedures. Therefore, successful IVF is possible when the BMI is properly maintained. It is advisable to consult a fertility specialist so that a proper action plan can be developed based on the patient’s history.