Treatment FAQ

what is the ideal weight for ivf treatment

by Prof. Arlo Stroman Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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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.

Full Answer

What is the ideal BMI for IVF treatment?

For a female patient with an average height of just over 1.70m (5ft 5”), the ideal BMI for IVF treatment is between 118lbs (53.5kg) and 186lbs (84kg). The BMI calculation must be interpreted cautiously as it makes no consideration of the age, gender or muscle mass of the individual.

How much does IVF Cost in the US?

The average cost of an IVF cycle in the United States is $15,000. This doesn’t include the cost of medication, which can cost approximately $5,000 per cycle.

What is the best diet for IVF success?

Its plant-based, colorful foundation should provide the positive nutrition your body needs. In fact, research shows that a Mediterranean diet may improve the IVF success rate among women who are under 35 years old and who don’t have overweight or obesity.

How much sleep do you need for IVF?

Sleep and fertility are closely connected. Getting the right amount can support your IVF cycle. A 2013 study found that the pregnancy rate for those who sleep seven to eight hours each night was significantly higher than those who slept for shorter or longer durations.

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Is there a weight limit for IVF?

The ideal BMI for getting pregnant, either naturally or through IVF, is between 19 and 25; typically, IVF can be less successful in women with a BMI over 30. High BMI can also be associated with anesthetic risks during egg collection, and pregnancy complications such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Does weight matter for IVF?

Research suggests that excess weight might also negatively affect egg quality , which reduces the chances of a successful pregnancy even with IVF. “We know that women who are obese might need higher doses of medication in order to stimulate eggs to grow,” Kallen said.

Should I lose weight before IVF?

While it might be that higher weight bodies are more prone to certain issues that negatively impact conception and live birth rates (e.g., anovulation, miscarriage), there is no good evidence to support that losing weight prior to starting IVF mitigates these issues.

What is a healthy weight for fertility?

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.

What weight is too heavy to get pregnant?

It's a numbers game: A BMI between 25 and 30 is overweight. A BMI that's over 30 is considered obese. To optimize your health before — and during — pregnancy, aim for a BMI below 25.

Can losing weight help egg quality?

A healthy diet and regular exercise can improve both male and female fertility. A healthy weight increases your chance of a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. Being underweight or overweight can reduce your chance of a pregnancy. If you're overweight, losing even a few kilos can improve your fertility.

How do I prepare my body for IVF?

Before you start your IVF journey, we recommend that you prepare your body for treatment in the following ways:Eat a healthy, well balanced diet.Start taking prenatal vitamins.Maintain a healthy weight.Stop smoking, drinking alcohol and recreational drugs.More items...•

How can I make my first IVF successful?

How to Increase Your Chances of IVF SuccessMaintain a healthy weight. ... Optimize sperm health. ... Partner with an excellent doctor and embryology laboratory. ... Reduce your stress. ... Quit smoking. ... Look into taking supplements. ... Ensure you have adequate levels of vitamin D. ... Focus on persistence and patience.

Why is weight loss important for IVF?

There's no question obesity decreases the chance of getting pregnant, but for IVF, body weight as a factor is unclear.” There is some good news for any woman who is overweight or obese and trying without success to get pregnant. Data shows a weight loss as small as 5%-10% can improve pregnancy outcomes.

Does weight play a role in fertility?

Being overweight, obese or underweight can affect a woman's fertility. Obesity can lower fertility in men. You have a greater chance of getting pregnant and having a healthy baby if you are close to a healthy weight. A small weight loss can improve fertility and pregnancy health.

How much weight should I lose before getting pregnant?

How much weight should you aim to lose? "You should get down to the healthiest weight possible before you conceive,” Peaceman says. "But any weight loss before pregnancy is good." "If the goal is 40 pounds and you can get halfway there and lose 20 pounds, we know that has a positive effect," says Alison G.

Can I get pregnant if I'm overweight?

In most cases, being overweight does not affect your ability to get pregnant. However, being obese (rather than overweight) can decrease your chances of getting pregnant. That's because weight can have an effect on your hormones and can prevent your ovaries from releasing an egg (ovulation).

What is the BMI for IVF?

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement of body fat based on height and weight. While it is clear that there is a link between BMI and fertility, it is also very apparent that underweight and overweight individuals frequently get pregnant so the question remains; how significant is the impact of weight on the pregnancy rate and what is the ideal BMI for IVF treatment?

Can overweight women get pregnant?

Any variation in ovulation can make it difficult to conceive and as a result, women who are significantly over or under weight may struggle to get pregnant and require IVF treatment. Although this indicates that a BMI in the normal range is the best for healthy ovulation, many women who are over or underweight have healthy ovulation patterns and manage to get pregnant without issue either naturally or after IVF treatment.

What is the normal BMI for a woman?

A BMI of less than 18.5 is considered underweight, while the normal range is 18.5 – 24.9. Overweight is 25 – 29.9, and 30 or greater is considered obese.

What is the implantation rate of an obese woman?

Obese women who received eggs from normal weight donors had a 23 percent lower implantation rate than normal weight recipients, a 19 percent lower clinical pregnancy rate, and a 27 percent lower live birth rate.

Does obesity affect IVF?

Obesity, Egg Quality, and Live Birth Rates in IVF. Research has shown that obesity may affect egg quality and may make it harder for overweight women to have successful IVF with their own eggs. A recent study indicated that obese women may need different doses of fertility drugs than normal-weight women in order to ensure ...

Is it easy to lose weight?

Losing weight has never been an easy proposition. But it can make a huge difference in your efforts to start a family. Talk to your doctor about diet and exercise, and see if you can make a plan you can stick with for the long haul.

Does weight affect fertility?

Many studies have demonstrated that fertility decreases as weight increases above normal. On the flip side, overweight patients who lose a significant amount of weight may be able to ovulate normally and not require fertility drugs—or fertility treatment. But if you are overweight or obese, loss of as little as 10 percent ...

Is in vitro fertilization successful?

Treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) have proven extremely successful , though a number of health conditions can affect the results of fertility treatments.

Is BMI a good weight?

While the body mass index (BMI) does have some flaws at an individual level, it is a good overall guide for general ideal weight for someone’s height. The normal range is optimal for most people of average build. Athletes or people with a fair amount of muscle mass may be over this ideal range, which is why the metric can be misleading, but again, it’s a good general guide to consider for the majority of the population.

Weight and Infertility

If you are struggling with infertility or considering IVF, and you also happen to live in a larger body, chances are your RE (reproductive endocrinologist, aka fertility doctor) has recommended you lose weight. Some clinics may even limit access to IVF treatment to women below a certain BMI.

What Does the Research Say Regarding Weight and IVF?

In a landmark 2016 study, 577 obese* women were randomly assigned to a lifestyle intervention (i.e., weight loss) group or proceeded directly to fertility treatments.

But what about fat women?

Another criteria placed on access to fertility treatment in the majority of areas is a BMI limit of 30. This is not a limit placed by the NICE guidelines and the evidence that a BMI of 30 as a suitable restriction is insufficient.

Take me for example

I would describe my experience as a fat woman as being typical. I started being aware of food and dieting before puberty. I have been on upwards of 20 different diets, losing weight, then gaining even more weight. Spending all my time, energy, and money focused on trying to become a socially acceptable size.

Fat is not the problem

The problem, I believe, is that these women are forced to relive this cycle of restricting their calories and extreme exercising to lose weight to reach an arbitrary goal. In my experience, extreme calorie restriction and punishing exercise are yet two more stressors on the body – specifically designed to STOP FERTILITY.

Portion Size

It is very common for people to eat more than they need. Ideally, our dietary intake should match our physical activity levels to keep our weight in balance. If you used to exercise every day and stopped, you have to eat less. Some clients report a habit of finishing each meal despite the portion size due to how they were brought up.

Snacks

The number of snacks you need a day is individual. But please think about why you snack? If you are hungry all the time, make sure your meals are balanced and contain a fair amount of protein and vegetables and slow absorbing carbohydrates. Examples of slow absorbing carbohydrates are listed below:

Meal Pattern

I think there is still no consensus on the number of meals we should eat a day. However, it is a well-known fact that irregular eating is unhealthy and may contribute to weight gain. Therefore, I recommend eating within an hour or two from the time you wake up. Keep the gaps between meals to a maximum of 5-6 hours.

Cooking Methods

Think about how much oil or butter you are using when preparing your meals. I usually suggest sticking to a teaspoon of oil or butter per person as a guide. A similar rule applies to sauces and dressings. However, it depends on whether you are using a full or low-fat variety. Remember to limit regular mayonnaise to a teaspoon.

Eating Out and Takeaway Food

I think that an occasional restaurant meal or a takeaway now and again will not cause any harm. However, regular takeaway/convenience food consumption may cause weight gain and boost the intake of salt and unhealthy fats. Limit yourself to a maximum of one takeaway/restaurant meal a week. This can also help to save some pennies.

Desserts

Have you got a sweet tooth? Please don’t worry because it is still possible to lose weight. Try making your own desserts. Measure ingredients carefully. Whenever possible, use low-calorie substitutes, e.g. natural sweeteners, low-fat yoghurt, chia seeds, and plant-based kinds of milk.

Eating When Not Hungry

Many people turn to food when stressed or bored. However, if you want to lose weight efficiently, every time you get an urge to have something to eat, ask yourself whether you really need it? Try a drink first, especially if it’s late at night.

What to take for sperm in IVF?

Prenatal vitamins can even help your partner boost their sperm health. Dr. Eyvazzadeh also recommends fish oil, which can support embryonic development. If your vitamin D levels are low, start taking vitamin D supplements before your IVF cycle. Low levels of vitamin D in the mother may be linked to autism.

How long does it take to get IVF shots?

Around 2 weeks of regular shots can heighten your emotions and make your body feel completely out of whack. It makes sense then, that the 30 days leading up to your IVF cycle are very important for ensuring your body is healthy, strong, and fully prepared for this fairly intense medical process.

How long does it take for sperm to be fertilized?

Either way, the fresh eggs will be fertilized within hours. This is when you’ll begin taking a hormone called progesterone. This hormone helps prepare.

What are the emotions associated with IVF?

You may have several emotions as you prepare for, start, and complete an IVF cycle. Anxiety, sadness, and uncertainty are common. After all, IVF can take time, be physically demanding — and cost quite a bit — all for a chance at getting pregnant. Not to mention the hormones.

How long does it take for a woman to get pregnant?

This stage can take anywhere from 3 to 12 days. You’ll begin fertility drugs that stimulate, or wake up, your ovaries. This gets them revved up to release more eggs than normal.

How long does it take for an embryo to be put back in the womb?

Less than a week after your eggs were harvested , your healthy embryo will be put back into your womb. This is a noninvasive procedure, and you won’t feel a thing.

When do you start the prep phase of IVF?

The prep stage begins 2 to 4 weeks before you start your IVF cycle. It includes making small lifestyle changes to make sure you’re at your healthiest. Your doctor might recommend medications to get your menstrual cycle regular. This makes starting the rest of the IVF stages easier.

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