Your BMI (Body Mass Index) is a measurement that impacts various aspects of your health, including fertility. Here we’ll explore why you might want to look into the impacts of your BMI for IVF treatment.
BMI is a screening tool, calculated using your weight and height, to sort people into different weight categories and assess their overall body composition and potential health risks.
To work out your BMI, medical professionals tend to use the following formula:
BMI = weight (kg) / (height (m))^2
Or if your weight is measured in pounds and your height in inches:
BMI = (weight (lb) / (height (in))^2) x 703
The result will show where you fall on the BMI scale:
Fertility and issues can arise from being either underweight or overweight.
Being underweight could lead to experiencing irregular menstrual cycles or even the absence of menstruation, as not having enough body fat can disrupt ovulation and lower the chances of a successful embryo transfer in IVF. While a higher BMI could mean you don’t respond as well to medications and negatively impact egg quality.
While knowing your BMI is useful, it’s important to note that the measurement does have some limitations. BMI doesn’t consider factors such as muscle mass, bone density, or distribution of fat in the body. So, if you have more muscle mass, such as athletes, your BMI may be higher, and it wouldn’t necessarily indicate high body fat levels or health risks.
Though, if you’re considering IVF treatment, and you’re BMI is over or under, you may want to take steps to bring it in-line with the average. This could involve:
Sticking to a balanced diet
Managing stress
Exercising regularly
Prioritising self-care
If you have any questions about how your BMI may impact your reproductive health, please book a free consultation with our fertility nurse.
