Obesity immediately brings to mind associations with hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. Yet, most people are surprised to learn that there is an association between obesity and infertility.
Obesity is defined by an extraordinarily high Body Mass Index (BMI) in which the index is a reflection of body fat content.
Young females, if put on weight in their reproductive age develop polycystic ovarian disease that dampen the chances of having a baby.
Cause behind :
Fat that is deposited in a woman’s abdomen is known to produce male hormones called androgens which in turn prevent follicular maturation and contribute to anovulation or failure of a woman to produce the egg from each ovary each month.
Studies show that in obese women with anovulation, the underlying cause is most likely due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Obesity increases the chances of miscarriage:
Obesity raises the rate of miscarriage and thus decreases successful pregnancy rates among obese women. This could be due to various causes including:-
•Poor quality of eggs or ovum
•Defective implantation or reception of the fertilized egg onto the womb mainly
•Defective and altered levels of hormones that help in sustaining pregnancy
Obesity causes hormone disturbances:
Obesity leads to decrease in testosterone,follicle stimulating hormone, inhibin B and sex hormone binding globulin. This leads to low sperm count and quality in obese men.
In obese women there is increase in androgen metabolism and elevated estrogen levels. Obese men show low estrogen and low testosterone levels as well.
Obesity causes complicated pregnancies:
Obesity leads to common pregnancy complications like pregnancy induced high blood pressure called preeclampsia or in severe cases eclampsia.
Obesity and related insulin resistance is also responsible for Diabetes during pregnancy or gestational diabetes.
