Whenever weight is mentioned as a factor in infertility, I automatically think of being overweight. This is definitely not surprising to me since in the last ten years being underweight was not a personal danger. I gained after college, gained even more with fertility treatments, and had trouble losing for a myriad of reasons – though I choose to mostly blame my extra 15 (or 20 or more) on infertility. Anyway, I realize that not talking about the hazard of being underweight is short-sighted since there are many women who may unwittingly be struggling because they weigh too little.
Whereas women who have excess body weight can be faced with an overproduction of hormones that disrupt ovulation; women with too little body fat can also experience ovulation issues and an underproduction of hormones. An underweight woman can also have trouble sustaining a pregnancy if she does conceive because of the lack of necessary hormones. Many women who are underweight are at an unhealthy weight because they over-exercise. Intense work-outs, such as those of a competitive athlete or long-distance runner, can lead to the woman not ovulating at all and increases miscarriage risks. Women who are trying to conceive are advised to discuss their exercise routines with their physician to determine if it is excessive or is more detrimental than helpful.
This advice conflicts with what you hear so often. Women trying to conceive are encouraged to get healthy and incorporate a exercise routine when trying to get to a reproductively healthy weight. You hear far more often about the women whose doctors suggest that they lose weight prior to fertility treatments. There are those, however, who may not be told that their low weight could be detrimental. I guess as with most things in life, the goal should be everything in moderation. Ovulation issues crop up for those who are both overweight and underweight. Those with the most regular, and therefore fertile, cycles are women who are not extreme in either weight direction. While being a couch potato is not advisable, it is also not recommended to overdo it with exercise or weight loss. Of course many women have fertility issues that go beyond ovulation problems or miscarriage, but maintaining a healthy weight and moderate exercise regimen is certainly not going to be a bad thing for your fertility regardless. I readily admit that I am probably not in danger of becoming an extreme athlete or die-hard dieter, but I am ashamed that my personal inclinations made me overlook a real issue for a lot of people. If you are underweight or exercise intensely and are struggling to conceive, the problems associated with low weight and excessive exercise are something to consider and definitely discuss with your doctor.
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