Results from a research conducted by Amsterdam's Academic Medical Center showed that women who are overweight or obese have lower chances of conceiving a child in comparison to those with normal weight. The study has followed the cases of about 3,000 couples and found that women who have a body mass index of 35 are 26% less likely to conceive a child than those with a BMI of 21 to 29. Furthermore, the chance of conception in women with a BMI of 40 is 43% lower than women with normal weight.
Experts speculate that hormonal imbalance, which is common in overweight and obese individuals, is one of the major reasons for the inability to conceive a baby. Moreover, several studies have already proven that obesity can play a role in the disruption of ovulation so women who are obese have lower pregnancy rates.
If you and your partner are finding it difficult to conceive a child, it might be best that you start to lose a little weight to help improve your chances of success. It is also important to note that in order to have a healthy baby, a woman should start preparing herself physically, emotionally and mentally to ensure that her body is capable of supporting and rearing a fetus.
Nonetheless, if you are obese and overweight, conceiving a child should be the least of your worries. If in case you get pregnant, there are a lot of health risks for you and baby. First, obese individuals have high leptin and insulin levels, so there is a higher chance for you to develop diabetes. Furthermore, elevated levels of these hormones can wreak havoc to your physiology and might even affect the development of your baby.
Other complications that an overweight or obese pregnant woman might face include the risk of developing hypertensive diseases, respiratory complications, blood clots, preterm delivery, neural tube defects and, worse, fetal mortality. Lastly, there is also a high chance for your child to suffer from childhood obesity, congenital heart problems and defects, and even digestive, breast and blood cancers.
Tips On How To Reach Your Ideal Weight Before Conception
Having a healthy and intelligent baby is not all in the genes. If you want to increase the chances of your baby being healthy and free from complications, you need to make your body healthy first. Your body will be a vessel for the fetus to grow and develop. If the vessel is damaged or is not in a good condition, there is a risk that whatever it is carrying will also be damaged or worse, will be spilled out.
Eat Healthy
The best way to lose weight is to be conscious of what you are eating. Even if you exercise, if you do not watch what you are eating, your weight loss will not be fast and permanent. It is better to get away from processed, fast, and fatty foods. Since pregnant women also have a higher risk of getting gestational diabetes, it might be wise for you to go easy on the sugar and other sugar-filled products. Furthermore, you will need all the vitamins and nutrients from fruits and vegetables to prepare your body for carrying a fetus.
Exercise Regularly
Since pregnant women are prone to blood clots and other illnesses, it is best for you to start improving your blood circulation and lymphatic systems before you start conceiving. Exercise is also important in strengthening your bones, toning your muscles, and shedding unwanted fat.
Take Supplements
Once you reach the age of 30, you might find that your metabolism is starting to become sluggish, making it almost impossible for you to lose weight. You can always take all-natural weight loss supplements to help accelerate the process. However, you need to make sure that the ingredients in the product that you will take are all safe, natural and do not have any side effects. Lastly, it is wise to ask for your doctor's advice before taking any supplements. One weight-loss supplement that many people find effective and safe is Zylorin. For more details, visit