Infertility, Obesity and weight loss

[reneed70]

I keep on reading women who lose 10% of their bodyweight become pregnant 22% faster.
I have been married for 14 yrs, took some fertility drugs, have achieved one pregnancy which ended in miscarriage. I recently have lost over 80 lbs. I have a long way to go. Does anyone have any experience with this subject? Has anyone gotten pregnant after years of infertility while obese, then lost weight and achieved a pregnancy? Thanks, I am just wanting to see what others have experienced. I don't want to get to hopeful

Renee

[taxgirl42]

I don't know anyone personally but before I started this woe I was considering having the surgery for weight loss. It was mandatory that we go to a seminar before we even met with the surgeon. At this seminar this subject was brought up by the surgeon who was teaching the seminar and he said that women that had the surgery should take extra precaution where birth control was concerned because the excess weight does make a person less likely to conceive. He said that a substantial weight loss would improve your chances of becoming pregnant by 60% or more. Just thought I would pass this on but maybe someone will answer who has been there done that. Good luck to you!

[ThePippinator]

I'm so sorry to hear about your struggle...I've been through some of what you have experienced. I can't say that my husband and I tried for years & years, because we just got married 17 months ago, but our timing is urgent because I am 38 and he is 49. We persued fertility treatments and were told we had 4 strikes against us: his low sperm count, one of my tubes is blocked, my age (or the age of my ovaries) and my weight. The doctor wasn't very gentle when he told me that I should lose the weight first...even though lce had put us on the right path, I was probably 140 lbs overweight. You may find some inspiration from a thread I started called "My fertility Specialist is getting me down". Others on these forums were so encouraging and helped me to resolve to try what we could & for the doctor to not focus solely on my weight. We continued our lce and I have lost 40 lbs. They had me on a combination of Clomid with a pregnyl shot and then IUI, and out third procedure worked! PTL!! We're due 2/1/05. I do not have PCOS, but the experts are actually saying that lce helps with fertility in this situation...maybe that's what's going on? I wish you the very best--the gals on here gave me the very best advice when others were still saying stupid things like, "why don't you just get a cat?" or "just relax...your stress is causing your problem."
Hugs,
Lori

297/257/160
Atkins on hold for my first pregnancy, but being carb-careful

[reneed70]

Thanks for the positive thoughts. People can be cruel unintentionly with their comments, not only about weight but about having no children. Life can be tough, I am just grateful I have a wonderful supporting husband who loves me fatter or thinner, and even childless. I am lucky. If I never have a child, I will survive, although my hearts desire is to become a mother. Congrats Lori on your pregnancy! You CAN low carb thru-out pregnancy I believe as long as you make sure to get plenty of rest, vitamins and good nutrition.
The best of luck to you!
Renee

[Dryad]

Renee, my weight doesn't appear to have anything to do with my infertility, as both tubes are blocked and grossly enlarged - even if I were a normal size, I would still have to have IVF. As far as the possible PCOS, well, based on the string-of-pearls ovaries, skin tags, weight gain for no apparent reason, long term depression for no reason, and lack of weight loss despite various diets (I've only ever lost on lc, and glacially slowly at that) I presume I have it, but I have no faith that I'd be diagnosed with it in the UK (nevermind the 3 year wait list for the clinic).

There are many fat women who have no trouble conceiving and giving birth - I'm talking about women far exceeding 300 lbs - so obesity is not necessarily the answer.

Dryad