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I'm overweight. Will this affect my chances of getting pregnant?

Not necessarily. It depends on whether your menstrual cycle is normal. If you get your period every 28 days or so, it's likely that your weight isn't interfering with ovulation and it won't hurt your chances of getting pregnant.

But women who are overweight or obese may experience hormonal imbalances that can affect their menstrual cycles and prevent ovulation, making it harder to conceive.

For instance, being overweight is closely linked to a condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). In women with PCOS, the ovaries don't produce enough of the hormones that stimulate the egg to mature and be released.

Some women with PCOS also make too much of the hormone insulin. This hormone normally helps the body use and store sugars and starches from food, but too much of it causes the body to release an excess of male hormones called androgens. High levels of androgens can interfere with ovulation and make it difficult for you to get pregnant.

Research has shown that being overweight can also make it tougher to have a baby through in vitro fertilization (IVF), possibly by affecting the ability of the embryo to implant in the uterus. The exact reason for this is unknown. The good news is shedding the extra pounds before you try to get pregnant can dramatically improve your odds of conceiving and of having a healthy pregnancy.

How much should you lose? Rather than going by weight alone, it's better to look at your body mass index (BMI), which calculates the ratio of your weight to your height.

To determine your BMI, you can use the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's BMI Calculator.

If you prefer to crunch the numbers yourself: Divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches, divide again by your height in inches, then multiply by 703 (for example: if you are 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weigh 140 pounds, your BMI would be 140 divided by 66, divided by 66, multiplied by 703, which equals 22).

Doctors consider a BMI between 19 and 25 to be ideal. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to achieve your weight goals.


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