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Weight warning for pregnancy

13/11/2007

Women hoping to conceive should achieve a healthy weight as obesity has a major effect on fertility, the British Fertility Society (BFS) has advised.

The society has issued new guidelines for women who have had difficulties trying to become pregnant following a review of the evidence about the interaction between obesity and female reproduction.

Obesity is a growing problem in the UK, with half of adult women predicted to be dangerously overweight by 2050.

In its guidelines for women the RCP warns that obesity decreases the chances of natural conception and increases the risk of miscarriage and pregnancy complications.

The society advises women seeking fertility treatment to achieve a body mass index (BMI) in the normal range and encourages clinicians to inform their patients about the negative effects of extra weight on conceiving naturally.

It recommends that clinicians should consider holding off fertility treatment for women whose weight does not fall within healthy guidelines.

Tony Rutherford, chair of the BFS' police and practice committee, said: "The BFS wants to ensure that all women receive the safest treatment when undergoing fertility procedures, while also maximising their chances that the treatment will be successful.

"Following a thorough analysis of the evidence, the BFS has produced these new guidelines to help doctors provide safer and more effective fertility treatment for women.

"We want to work with our patients to improve their chances of becoming pregnant with minimum risk to their health and that of their child."

Infertility Network UK welcomed the new guidelines and said women should be given help to achieve a healthy weight to increase their chances of conceiving.

"It should be remembered that there are conditions affecting your fertility which also have an impact on your weight plus women are under a great deal of stress when battling with infertility," said Clare Brown, Infertility Network UK chief executive.

"We hope these new guidelines will both inform patients as well as encourage clinicians to help and support them in their efforts to lose weight. We would also recommend that clinicians adopt a flexible approach where possible and look at cases on an individual basis."