Languages spoken at Coastal Fertility Medical Center include: English, Spanish, German, French, Vietnamese & Farsi.
Women’s Health with Minoos Hosseinzadeh, M.D. Assessing Weight’s Impact on Fertility
Many women are surprised to find that their reproductive health can be impacted by their body mass; and in fact, obesity – as well as extreme thinness – has a profound effect not just on a person’s general health, but also fertility. A person’s body mass index, or BMI, is a simple formula used which takes into account the person’s weight in relation to their height.
Weight (in kg) divided by the height (in meters) squared or Weight (kg)/Height (m)2
The table below shows the BMI ranges that correlate with normal body mass and its extremes.
BMI 18.5-24.9 = Normal
BMI less than 18.5 = Underweight
BMI 25-29.9 = Overweight
BMI over 30 = Obese
BMI over 40 = Extreme Obesity
At both extremes of weight – very thin and obese – the ovulatory process can be affected, manifesting itself in the form of irregular periods. In young girls, this correlation is shown with dysfunctional uterine bleeding during early puberty. Overall, it is estimated that 97 million adults in the United States are either overweight or obese. Obesity is more common in women than in men. The real health risks associated with these conditions include co-morbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and numerous types of cancer. Mortality rates also rise as BMI increases.
Fertility issues linked with obesity include:
Irregular or infrequent menstrual cycles
Increased risk of infertility
Increased risk during fertility surgery
Deficient response to fertility drugs and the need for more fertility medications
Increased risk of miscarriages
Decreased success with fertility treatment
Once conception takes place, however, obesity still poses numerous risks for potential pregnancy complications such as increases in high blood pressure, diabetes, birth defects, high infant birth-weight and the need for Caesarian section delivery. Patients can minimize and possibly even avoid these risks by reducing their weight to fall within the normal BMI range. A weight loss of five to 10 percent can dramatically improve ovulation and pregnancy rates in women. With those benefits comes improved overall health in the form of reduced risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and enhanced self-esteem. For women who want to get pregnant or are currently pregnant, maintaining a healthy weight that falls within the range of normal on the BMI scale, can make conception, pregnancy and delivery less fraught with risks and easier on the body and mind.
OCPC Readers: Email questions to Women’s Health with Dr. Minoos at DrMinoos@OCPCmagazine.com. ____________________________________________________________________________
Dr. Minoos Hosseinzadeh is a nationally recognized specialist in reproductive endocrinology at the largest and most-established locally-based fertility center in Orange County, Calif., Coastal Fertility Medical Center (http://www.coastalfertility.com). Double-board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, she is also a member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. She has presented at several national and international fertility meetings and authored numerous papers on hormone replacement therapy and age-related female infertility.
