OBESITY - CAUSE FOR INFERTILITY

Obesity is associated with impaired fertility and pregnancy complications, including decreased rates of pregnancy, higher rates of miscarriage, and decreased rates of live birth with both natural conception and assisted reproductive technology. When pregnancy occurs, obese women are more likely to develop gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes. Maternal obesity also increases the risk of adverse outcomes in offspring, including congenital anomalies; perinatal, neonatal, and infant death and childhood obesity. It is associated with anovulation, menstrual disorders, infertility, difficulties in assisted reproduction, miscarriage, and adverse pregnancy outcomes.


OBESITY EFFECTING REPRODUCTIVE ORGAN

The relationship between obesity and reproductive functions has been known for many years and it is still being explored. The negative effects of obesity on reproductive consequence are well known. Because of reduced pregnancy rates, increased miscarriage rates, and increased pregnancy complications, live birth rates decrease in obese women in both natural and assisted conceptions. Obesity may impair reproductive functions by affecting both the ovaries and endometrium.

OBESITY AND MISCARRIAGE

The association between obesity and miscarriage has been reported in a number of studies, both in the general population as well as in women undergoing assisted reproductive techniques. A remarkable number of these studies show an increase in the prevalence of miscarriage in case of obesity however, there are studies that found no association between these two issues. Although several studies have shown the association between obesity and higher miscarriage rates, there is no consensus about the mechanism that causes this in obese women. It is possible that obesity may affect the embryo or the endometrium or both.