How Can Weight Impact Fertility?

The optimal bodyweight for fertility, on the BMI “body mass index,” scale, is between 18 and 25. if your weight is in this range then it is considered as healthy . On a more specific ratio, the optimal fertility BMI is between 19 and 22 which is the middle of the range. But the more you get closer to the extremes of this range or exceed it the more susceptible you are to have an unhealthy weight. And so if a person’s BMI is under 18.5Kg/m2, then he/she is underweight. On the flip side, if a person’s BMI is over 25 then he/she is overweight. Both extremes are bad.

For women, being overly thin may decrease the production of estrogen in your body, and with time stop making estrogen at all and shut down the ovary’s function. And Being overweight, means you are carrying extra fat, which on one side will produce extra female hormones and on the other side lower the amount of SHBG in your bloodstream that helps maintain the hormones inactive until they are needed. Therefore, going for an optimal body weight helps to lower the risk of infertility.

So what can you do to regain balance if you have an unhealthy weight? The answer is simple, start by making small changes in your diet; Eat fewer animal products and more vegetables and fruits. The reason why is you want to have more fiber and vitamin intake. leafy green vegetables and more specifically cruciferous vegetables are a great choice.

The content of this article was inspired by the book “Your body in balance”.

This article was written by: Adnane Mansour & Maha Saied