Research

Hormonal

A 1200 kcal/day diet combined with aerobic exercise induces weight loss in overweight PCOS patients, which significantly reduces ovarian volume and microfollicle count, restores ovulatory cycles, and increases spontaneous pregnancy rates.

For overweight women with PCOS struggling with infertility, a strict 1200 kcal/day diet is the first-line treatment. You do not need a specific gym routine; just incorporate moderate aerobic activity like swimming or aerobics 1-2 times a week. Losing just 5% of your body weight can significantly shrink ovarian volume, restore regular ovulation, and increase your chances of spontaneous pregnancy.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Weight loss through a controlled low-calorie diet improves anthropometric indices in obese PCOS patients, reduces ovarian volume and microfollicle number and can restore ovulatory cycles, allowing spontaneous pregnancy.
P.G. Crosignani · Human Reproduction · 2003

Why this rating

Prospective study with a small sample size (n=33) and no control group, though outcomes are statistically significant.

Source

Overweight and obese anovulatory patients with polycystic ovaries: parallel improvements in anthropometric indices, ovarian physiology and fertility rate induced by diet

P.G. Crosignani · Human Reproduction · 2003

DOI 10.1093/humrep/deg367

cohort · n=33Cited 358×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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