Hormonal
Obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m2) significantly impairs female fertility by causing insulin resistance, altering adipokine profiles (high leptin, low adiponectin), and disrupting the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, leading to ovulatory disorders and reduced spontaneous conception rates.
If you have a BMI over 30, your risk of infertility increases by 5% for every point above 29. This is driven by hormonal imbalances like insulin resistance and altered leptin levels. Weight loss is recommended to improve fertility outcomes, as it can restore hormonal balance and improve oocyte quality.
In ovulatory but subfertile women the chance of spontaneous conception decreases by 5% for each unit increase in the BMI (body mass index) exceeding 29 kg/m2... the increased risk of subfecundity and infertility in overweight and obese women is associated with not only impairment at the level of the HPG axis, but also oocyte quality and uterine receptivity
Why this rating
The paper is a review citing multiple observational and mechanistic studies, establishing a strong correlation and plausible biological mechanism, though it lacks a single definitive RCT.
Source
The Deep Correlation between Energy Metabolism and Reproduction: A View on the Effects of Nutrition for Women Fertility
Roberta Fontana et al. · Nutrients · 2016
DOI 10.3390/nu8020087
More from this paper
- Insulin resistance in obese women directly impairs fertility by stimulating ovarian androgen synthesis and reducing sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), leading to hyperandrogenism and ovulatory dysfunction.Good
- Underweight status (BMI < 19 kg/m2) and strenuous physical activity impair fertility by suppressing the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, leading to longer time to pregnancy and potential amenorrhea.Good
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