If you’re overweight but are thinking about trying for a baby, now could be a good time to consider your weight loss options. “Women with a BMI [Body Mass Index] of 25 to 30 are 50 per cent more likely to have infertility than women with a normal BMI [between 18.5 and 29.5],” says medical spokesperson for Jenny Craig, Dr Andrew Rochford.

This rises to a whopping 300 per cent for women with a BMI over 30, which is considered to be obese on the BMI scale. According to Dr Rochford, obesity in women has a profound effect on fertility due to anovulation (meaning you don’t ovulate) and can also cause other metabolic issues, such as hypertension and elevated insulin, which can lead to diabetes.

Likewise, if you’re considering IVF as a solution, this too can be hindered if you’re overweight. “IVF success rates may be reduced by up to 25 per cent in obese patients, and 50 per cent in the very obese,” Dr Rochford warns. The good news, however, is that recent research from the University of Sydney has shown that weight loss intervention in obese women undergoing fertility treatments substantially improves pregnancy rates.

So while a perfect world would see you at your ideal, healthy weight several months before you even start trying for a baby, if you’re already on the road to conception a mere weight loss of five to 10 per cent could already see your fertility improving, so all hope is not lost!

One great weight loss option if you’re trying to fall pregnant is Jenny Craig. Not only are its programs designed by a team of health practitioners in consultation with the Jenny Craig International Medical Advisory Board, but its menus are also developed by Accredited Practising Dieticians and are based on current nutrition recommendations outlined in the Dietary Guidelines formulated by the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

You’ll also have a personal consultant who will meet with you weekly in one-on-one meetings to help tailor your program to best suit your needs. This is particularly important when you’re trying to fall pregnant, as you’ll need to up your intake of certain nutrients than usually necessary, while still consistently losing weight in a healthy way. And of course, if you do fall pregnant, your Jenny Craig consultant can help you to maintain a healthy weight throughout your pregnancy.

Are you surprised at how much your weight can affect your fertility? Have you ever considered a weight loss program? Would you like to try Jenny Craig?

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