Is there a BMI restriction for IVF?
At Shady Grove Fertility, patients must have a BMI of less than 40 before initiating an IVF or egg freezing cycle and a BMI less than 44 before initiating intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycles.
A high BMI causes issues in IVF, ICSI or IUI treatment just as much as it would do in natural conception, because of how it affects your fertility. Women with a high BMI have lower success rates from IVF, it can also affect how you respond to fertility medications and the quality of your eggs.
Guidelines indicate that your chances of getting pregnant with IVF are better if your BMI is between 19 and 30. A BMI over 30 has a significant negative effect on IVF pregnancy success rates. IVF success rates are most favourable in patients with low and normal BMIs.
In women with high BMI (≥30) decreased embryo quality has been reported [43, 44].
Women with a body mass index (BMI) above 27 are three times more likely than women in the normal weight range to be unable to conceive because they don't ovulate. Women who are overweight or obese are much less likely to conceive.
Increase in BMI reduces the chance of conception in ovulatory women and affects the outcome of ovulation induction treatment. Obese women undergoing IVF require higher doses of gonadotrophins, respond poorly to ovarian stimulation and have fewer oocytes harvested.
The findings revealed that BMI is negatively correlated with the levels of hormone E2, LH and P on HCG day.
“Obesity can require special care, but a majority of women with B.M.I. over 30 don't have a complicated pregnancy and do have healthy babies.” Even when the risk for complications increases, the frequency of such events remains low.
You should aim for a BMI of between 20 and 25, as this will optimise your chances of conception. Even in these modern times, nature knows best. If a woman's BMI falls below 19, the body senses famine and ovulation is switched off to prevent the risk of having a baby with malnutrition.
Effect of a high BMI on fertility
The ideal BMI for getting pregnant is between 18.5 and 24.9. This is known as the healthy range. If you have a high BMI, bringing it closer to the healthy range before trying for a baby will help you get pregnant as well as improving the health of your future pregnancy and child.
How do I lower my BMI from 30 to 23?
- REDUCE YOUR DAILY CALORIE INTAKE. The basic rule of lowering your BMI, and to maintain a healthy weight generally, is to consume the same or slightly less calories than you burn. ...
- CUT DOWN ON SALT. ...
- GET YOUR HEART PUMPING.
Achieving a BMI between 18.5 and 40 is necessary before starting fertility treatment, and to avoid medical complications, it must be under 40 before starting an IVF cycle. A higher BMI could be reflective of high muscle mass for those that work out regularly.
These guidelines recommend that IVF should be offered to women under the age of 43 who have been trying to get pregnant through regular unprotected sex for 2 years. Or who have had 12 cycles of artificial insemination, with at least 6 of these cycles using a method called intrauterine insemination (IUI).
Who is not a good candidate for IVF? In vitro fertilization may not work for everyone. Conditions that may interfere with IVF success include fibroid tumors, ovarian dysfunction, abnormal hormone levels, and uterine abnormalities. Women with these issues may face lower rates of pregnancy with IVF.