Obesity is a condition that affects close to 40% of Americans. Many people struggle with maintaining a healthy weight, and for people who want children, this can be especially concerning. It is no wonder, then, that most people wonder: Can being overweight cause infertility?
The simple answer is, yes, excess weight can cause infertility. Overweight women may have a harder time getting pregnant, and overweight men have a more difficult time getting their partners pregnant. Additionally, overweight women who are pregnant are at more risk of experiencing pregnancy complications. The question remains: why does being overweight cause infertility?
Why Does Being Overweight Affect Fertility?
In men, being overweight can cause problems like fluctuating hormones that affect their sperm count. Obese men may also experience erectile dysfunction which affects their ability to have sex and impregnate their partners.
The effects of being obese on fertility are more common and severe in women. Excess weight affects the body’s ability to balance hormones, which in turn affects your menstrual cycle. This is because the cells responsible for excess body fat also create estrogen. A lot of fat creation means your body is also secreting a lot more estrogen. This tricks your reproductive organs into thinking you are taking birth control, or are already pregnant. The result is that no ovaries are released to be fertilized.
A woman may decide to look into alternative methods for getting pregnant. However, obesity makes it difficult for fertility treatments like IVF and ICSI to work. The only way to properly combat these issues is to lose weight.
Weight and Pregnancy
While not everyone who is overweight will have pregnancy complications, studies show that women with excess weight are more at risk of pregnancy conditions. One of the most common issues is gestational hypertension, or high blood pressure. If not effectively dealt with, gestational hypertension can lead to preeclampsia, which is every pregnant woman’s nightmare.
A pregnant woman who is overweight can develop gestational diabetes. This not only affects her, but the baby too. The baby may suffer from abnormally low blood sugar levels, or suffer from sugar excesses. The result is that the baby will be too large and injure the mother during birth, necessitating alternative methods of giving birth. Clearly, then, excess weight and pregnancy do not go very well together.
Weight Loss Surgeries in Mexico
It is recommended that men who want to have children lose excess weight at least three months before they attempt to impregnate their partners. Women who want to be mothers should also attempt to get to a healthy weight before they get pregnant. Bariatric surgery in Tijuana Mexico is an alternative that many who struggle to lose weight using any other means opt for. Pregnancy after bariatric surgery is easier compared to being pregnant while overweight.
Weight loss surgery is a life changing procedure that makes it easy for you to lose weight. Weight loss surgeries in Mexico are becoming the preferred go-to methods for many Americans. They are highly-effective weight loss surgeries that will not put a big dent on your pocket. Tijuana weight loss surgery practices offer you a professional team of doctors that will ensure you are well enough to pursue pregnancy after bariatric surgery.
