Weight and IVF

[janehealy]

Hi All

I hope everyone is okay i am new to the site and would like some advice. I am due to start my IVF in September and I have a problem with my weight. This has in the past been disscussed when seeing consultants and doctors but never to a degree that I was worried. I am over weight and my BMI is above 40 (certainly not in a healthy range) will this cause me problems when I get called in September to start the IVf.

Many Tanks

Jane

[nicaliw]

I don't know the real answer to your question but I can tell you that I'm a labor and delivery nurse and we see women of all shapes and sizes delivering babies all the time so it must not be impossible to get pregnant. Good luck!!!!!

[IndieBlue]

Weight Watchers was the only thing that worked for me. I'm not overweight but I was getting to the point of eating everything that didn't move....LOL And eating LOTS of it. Once I started WW I felt so accomplished when I'd go in for weekly meetings and show a loss, they would call out my name and everyone would cheer. I really really felt like I was getting a grasp on things. It's also a GREAT program after you have your baby, and they have a points calculator that helps you keep on track even when nursing your new baby....so it's something you could stick with even after IVF

Good luck...and I agree with Nicaliw too, I see women of all sizes and ages that are mothers...so while I'm sure that it does play a part in some people's fertility, it obviously isn't a deciding factor in many others.

[beachbaby]

Hi, I live in the UK, and the policy over here is your BMI has to be under 30 for IVF. As weight can be a factor in getting pregnant. My BMI before last treatment was 27, and my consultant was hassling me about my weight.
On a better note, a lady i cycled with previously was trying to lose weight so she could do egg share, and had to have BMI below 30 to do so, got her BMI down to 32 and fell pregnant naturally, she had a baby girl last week.
Good luck to you.

[Angel505]

Hi Jane,

I too live in the UK and as beachbaby said, they prefer your BMI to be below 30. My pre- treatment BMI was 27 too and I was advised to lose about 7 pounds. Also remember that treatment generally piles on the pounds.

I have seen a number of overweight women get pregnant and have healthy babies. I am not sure if it will actually prevent you from having treatment or change the outcome. You could call your PCT and ask if they have a strict criteria.

[Welshgirl38]

Another UK'er here im afraid lol ....

When i did my first IVF at private clinic, i was told my BMI had to be at 30 or under, so was told to lose weight - i lost a stone, and went ahead with tmt which failed.

This time however my BMI is over 30 (im heavier than when i first started tmt the last time) im at a different clinic and they havent even mentioned my weight! Strange some do and some dont ...

I know a woman who is a lot bigger than me (and thats saying summit lol) and she is 16 weeks pregnant (naturally) so, who knows - i think the DR's like u to be under BMI just so they are covered - if it means a fat woman cant have kids (Im not calling no one fat - just myself lol) - then i think its all poppy cock - u are who u are, big, fat, tall, thin, short - still entitled to tmt and still entitled to be a mother ...

Becky Xxx

[meg12]

Ironically, my doctor told me to gain some weight when I first started IVF--I had worked really hard and lost around 80 pounds a year or so before seeing her. She said she liked her patients to have some cushion in their midsection so that the embryos "had something to hold onto" I believe were her exact words. I did end up gaining about 20 pounds with the IVF meds---the IVF was a BFN, but then I got pregs naturally the very next month. So who knows.
My thought (take it for what it's worth!) is that your overall health is more important than any number a scale can tell you. If you're taking care of yourself--eating healthy, moving now and then--then I'm sure you're a perfect candidate for IVF regardless of the number on the stupid, horrible, I-hate-it-scale!

Best of luck to you!

[tachour]

We need an egg donor in Canada. We had a donor, a dear friend, we did all the testing, we travelled to a clinic in another province for orientation, we had the counselling. All we wanted was to start the procedure,start the medicine and have a date set for IVf. We were told our donor needs to lose 40 pounds in 4-6 months or no egg retrieval and we'd need to start all testing,counselling,etc. all over again. We were all devastated and now we are in the position that we never thought we'd be. We're looking for a dear sweet soul who can be our egg donor ,to help us create our miracle that will be so loved forever.

[Xrayem]

Hi Jane,

I had put on (and lost) 15 kilos while we were ttc and my weigt seemed to make no difference. When we started IVF, I was 10kg overweight and it was never even mentioned. I got lucky on my first go and had twin boys last June. I put on 15kg with them and while I was trying to loose that baby weight, I fell pregnant naturally with this bub.

I weighed more than I ever have and managed to get pregnant on my own.


So don't fret too much. If it makes you feel better, watch what you eat - it won't hurt. But I really don't think that a high BMI will be the only reason you can't get pregnant.

Much luck,
Em

[Dakota]

Years ago when we started TTC, I was told it was because I was over weight by 100lbs. So I lost 100 lbs in about 16 months. This did nothing for me as I never fell pg. Due to the depression of it I gained back some weight. I went to another clinic and they told me I was over weight and I wouldnt qualify for IVF. I lost some more weight. Now my new clinic says I am about 10 lbs heavier than they would like me to be, but I am within their guildlines. My BMI is 25 point something and they will not treat someone with a BMI over 27.

Every clinic is different. Although all the studies say that just loosing 10% of your body weight, if you are over weight makes all the difference in the TTC world.