Fertility And Thin Women - What Are The Issues, Is It Best To Be Overweight Or Underweight

Does being underweight or overweight affect fertility? CERTAINLY!

For hundreds of years, fertility in women is represented by prominent and ample stomach and mons pubis as well as full breasts breasts. However, many women today are pressured by the society to maintain slim and sexy body which is defined by the alluring curves of models and celebrities. In many times, this compromises their ability to get pregnant later on.

Contrary to common beliefs, it is not just being overweight which can affect women's fertility. Both being underweight and overweight creates negative impacts to fertility. It is believe that weight level affects the production level of hormones in the body which regulate pregnancy and ovulation such as progesterone and estrogen.

Being underweight means that a woman's body mass index (BMI) does not reach the normal BMI level which is between 18.5 and 24.9. On the other hand, people are considered overweight if their body mass index goes beyond the upper boundary. If the body mass index of a person goes over 30, he or she is considered as obese. As researches show, obese people have lesser chances of conceiving.

Statistics revealed that underweight pregnant women are five times at risk of having underweight babies later on. Also, by not being an underweight, women increase their chance of having healthy babies by five times. In one study, it was found out that 75% of underweight women who decided to put on some weight have actually conceived.

According to research, fertility problems are more likely to occur in thin women compared to fat women. Some thin women are not menstruating. Some are having menstruations but they don't ovulate. Some women are menstruating and ovulating yet they are having a difficulty in conceiving. In some cases, women menstruate, ovulate and conceive but they may soon experience a difficulty in sustaining their pregnancy until the end.

Underweight women usually have irregular cycles. In severely underweight cases, menstruation may completely stop. In some cases, it can even prevent ovulation. Aside from irregular cycles, underweight women are said to produce low levels of estrogen hormones which negatively affect fertility in women.

With irregular cycles, women are less likely to conceive. Research shows that the irregularity of menstrual periods negatively affects the lining of the uterus which makes it less capable of sustaining a foetus. Even if conception takes place, underweight women are more likely to have miscarriage due to the inability of the uterus to create a suitable and ideal place for the foetus to grow. The fertilized egg usually requires thick uterine lining to sustain the growth of the foetus.

Recent researches show that reproductive technology and availability of reproductive drugs can help women in conceiving however, this technology is less likely to address issues with thin and insufficient uterine lining. In some cases, it can only lead to miscarriage because the uterus is less capable of sustaining the growth and development of the foetus.

Observing a healthy diet to improve weight level is important in increasing a woman's probability of getting pregnant. By maintaining a healthy weight level, you significantly reduce your risk for pre-term birth and low birth weight. By maintaining a health body size and weight, you give your baby the opportunity to have the best of health.

It is believed that women are required to reach certain critical weight levels in order to get pregnant. Sufficient amount of fat in the body can trigger menarche which may indicate that the body is now ready for pregnancy. The amount of fats in the body is one of the most crucial factors which determine the body's capacity to sustain the growth of the foetus.

On the other hand, being overweight affects ovulation which in turn, can also affect fertility. More often than not, overweight women have extra fat tissues which can lead to excessive production of oestrogen. Higher oestrogen production can trigger hormonal imbalance which can negatively affect the process of ovulation.

Overweight women have high levels of fat cells that produce oestrogen which triggers the pituitary gland to prevent the production of follicle stimulating hormones (FSH). These hormones are responsible for the taking place of ovulation. Also, excessive weight level is associated with conditions like insulin resistance and polycystic ovarian syndrome which can cause fertility problems later on.