Pregnancy, Fertility And Overweight Women
With the number of overweight people growing annually
, obesity is fast becoming one of the biggest health challenges in the UK. Excessive weight gain and obesity are widely associated with a number of serious health complications such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure. For women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant these health problems may be even more pronounced. In addition, there is growing evidence that excessive weight is linked to infertility and pregnancy health complications.
Being overweight can have a serious impact on a womans fertility. High cholesterol levels can affect the production of oestrogen in the body which can disrupt the ovaries natural ovulation cycle and lead to infertility. Obesity or persistent weight is also a key cause of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), which can also prevent ovulation and cause infertility. Common symptoms include irregular or infrequent menstrual cycles.
Obesity is also linked to an increased risk of miscarriage and congenital abnormalities to the growing foetus in pregnancy. And the latest Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths (published every three years in the UK) reported that a shocking 50% of women who died in pregnancy or immediately afterwards were found to be overweight.
Studies have also shown that overweight or obese women are less likely to respond to fertility treatment due to excessive weight obstructing the absorption of fertility enhancing drugs.
As a result of these findings, midwives and doctors now place a strong emphasis on optimising womens health prior to and during pregnancy. Many IVF clinics have begun to refuse treating obese patients unless they reduce their body mass index (BMI). Anyone with a BMI of over 25 is classed as overweight and anyone with a score of over 30 is classed as clinically obese.
To calculate your BMI simply multiply your height (in metres) by itself and then divide your weight (in kilograms) by that number. For example, a woman who is 1.68m tall and weighs 64kg will have a BMI of 22.7:
64/(1.68 x 1.68) = 22.7
A BMI of between 19 and 25 is regarded as healthy. Anyone with a BMI of 25 or over should be tackling their weight, especially if they are thinking about becoming pregnant.
Getting fit and healthy in preparation for pregnancy will not only maximise your chances of conception, it will also help you cope physically with pregnancy and birth, and then get back to normal following birth. Being fit and healthy gives your baby the best start in life.
Finding the right weight management solution will require a permanent change to your lifestyle, including the control of food intake and sensible, regular exercise.
Boot camps are a quick, tried and tested method for permanently tackling excessive weight and kick-starting a new fit and healthy lifestyle. These women-only residential programmes are becoming increasingly popular for women who find themselves stuck in a rut and unable to manage their weight on their own.
During four or seven days, women are physically challenged with high and low intensity exercise by ex-military fitness experts, while enjoying nutritionally balanced meals, nutritional classes and health and lifestyle management coaching. During this short, intense period women drop at least a dress size and lose weight and inches, particularly around the waist. Their fitness, stamina, posture and confidence are improved. Overall, women gain the knowledge and inspiration to positively change their lifestyles in the long term.
Acknowledgement: Mr Daniel P Hay, Associate Professor in Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Nottingham for providing with clinical study information.
by: Siobhan Hargreaves
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