Can being underweight affect fertility? The short answer is yes. Despite our weight obsessed culture that seems to idolize the super thin, being underweight is not healthy. In fact, if you are underweight, your fertility can be affected.
A study at the University of Adelaide in Australia looked at weight and its relation to fertility. The group of women that were classified as underweight had a rate of infertility that was significantly higher than the women of normal weight.
There are several factors that can affect the fertility of underweight women. One is irregular menstrual cycles. Underweight women tend to have irregular menstrual cycles. When the woman is severely underweight, the cycles can stop completely. This would obviously prevent conception.
Another factor that contributes to infertility in underweight women is irregular ovulation. When women are underweight, normal ovulation can be interrupted. This contributes to infertility and the cessation of menstrual periods. When an eating disorder is present, ovulation can stop for a long period of time, making pregnancy impossible.
The irregularity of the menstrual cycles can affect the lining of the uterus, making it inadequate to support a pregnancy. Even if conception were to occur, the woman would be likely to miscarry the baby. The fertilized egg needs a thick uterine lining to implant and grow.
In some cases, reproductive technology can help an underweight woman become pregnant. Fertility drugs can be used to induce ovulation and menstruation. In this case, the woman may get pregnant. Reproductive technology cannot always solve the problem of thin uterine lining, so an increased risk of miscarriage may still be an issue.
The good news is that with a good weight gain program, these issues can usually be resolved. A steady, healthy weight gain with a nutritious diet is the best remedy for an underweight woman that is hoping to restore her fertility. A nutritionist can help create a meal plan to put on weight and get the ovulation and menstrual cycle back on track.
There is another good reason to reach a healthy weight, which is the health of your baby. Babies born to very underweight women are at risk of low birth weight and pre term birth. Neither of these is an acceptable outcome. By eating a healthy diet and maintaining the proper weight for your body size, you are giving your future baby the best gift possible, a healthy start in life.
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