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Does anyone know how much weight affects IVF success rates? I've seen some pretty shocking statistics but I'm hoping that these statistics might be also moderated by how healthy you are generally.
I'm big but I'm muscly and exercise 4-5 times per week... I'm still obese but somewhat healthy...
I'm also wondering if the F.S. will refuse to do IVF until I lose the weight? That is my big fear... has this happened to anyone out there brave enough to admit it?
TIA
when DH & I were looking into it, I was told by my FS that I needed to lose weight, it wasn't that he *wouldn't* do ivf if I was the weight I was, but he'd prefer me to be within a certain range.
Good luck with it all!
As my infertility isn't weight related, I didn't believe I needed to lose weight to fall pg. I was advised by my clinic though that there were drs who consulted for the clinic who would not take on overweight patients, even if their infertility wasn't weight related, but there were ones who did not exclude for weight. So I called around to the ones who didn't exclude overweight patients, and found my wonderful FS.
While some patients can increase their chances of success with weight loss, notably PCOS sufferers, not all patients need to lose weight to fall pg. My FS never blinked an eye over my weight, and in fact told me to stop dieting when it started to mess with my cycles.
Thanks for your posts Punkin and Sushee - I really appreciate your input! I was hoping that becuase our only diagnosed problem is with DH's swimmers that my weight won't impact too much (as I don't *think* I have PCOS or similar - blood test pending). Okay, I will go to appointment and try to look skinner! : ) I wonder if he will ask what I weight as I do look smaller than I weigh...
I feel like an nincompoop for not trying harder to loose weight earlier! Doh!
Given that Melbourne IVF state "Losing even a small amount of weight (around five to seven kilograms) has been shown to result in improvements in ovulation rates and pregnancy", I think that being big and healthy has got to be a lot better than being big and unhealthy.
ruth, according to the BMI, at 59kg/162cm i was a "healthy" weight...the photos of me at that time, stressed from four years of ex-husband stalking me, show me as skinny, breastless, dull haired, and gaunt. at 64kg, my preferred weight (size 12) the BMI says i'm overweight. at BMX state titles, the year i won fourth place at forty, the BMI said i was overweight at 67kg of muscle from hard training. i was a size 10. at the moment, with weight on from 2 m/c so far this year, it says i'm obese. i still fit a size 12-14. go figure.
the BMI doesn't take frame and body type into account, so i say if you can't pick up love handles on yourself, you're doing ok!
Hi Ruth,
My first cycle of IVF was not really successful with only 2 eggs retrieved and only 1 fertilised. My FS could no explain why and he did gave me the option to wait 3 months while I lost weight, or go again. He did emphasise to me that losing weight was not a definate answer to what had gone wrong and he couldn't say whether it would improve subsequent results or not.
I opted to go ahead with a second cycle without dieting and our results did improve. We got 7 eggs with 4 fertilising. Whilst we did improve with the number of eggs I was also on high doses of medication.
Hi Ruth,
Like you, when we first started down this road, I too thought my weight would be an issue. I have always had a weight problem, and no matter what I do nothing seems to get moving in the downward direction.
I am extremely lucky i that I have FS who does not focus on weight.
Having said all that, I started my first cyclew at over 100 kg is weight, put on more weight with each cycle.
However, I did fall pregnant on both our 2nd and 3rd cycles.
Good luck to you on your journey.
Fi :hello:
Thanks for all your replies. Here is an update on how I went at the F.S. He mentioned in passing (while doing my ultrasound - ugh!) if my weight had changed much recently. I explained my slow and steady loss and good gym habits and he then asked what exercise hubby does and left it at that. He didn't mention losing weight or anything! I'm pretty pleased with how it went.