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BMI Calculator for IVF: A Key Tool in Your Fertility Journey
A woman’s weight plays a determining role in her IVF success. Being overweight can increase your chances of health issues including diabetes, heart disease, and thyroid dysfunction which can greatly impact your fertility and in turn your fertility or IVF treatment. Similarly, being underweight may also deprive your body of the required nutrients for a successful pregnancy.
This is one of the main reasons why physicians recommend checking body mass index or BMI when trying to conceive through IVF treatment. In this article, we will explore the importance of BMI for women who are trying to conceive either naturally or with fertility treatments including IUI or IVF.
What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?
Body mass index or BMI is a number calculated with your height and weight. The resulting ratio is used as an indicator of your body fat.
How Does BMI (Body Mass Index) Affect Fertility Rate?
Being overweight can cause potential complications when you are trying to get pregnant, this includes:
- Reduces response to medications required for regulating or initiating ovulation.
- Increased chances of several medications especially in case of polycystic ovary syndrome.
- Higher risk of multiple pregnancies in response to medications.
- Lesser number of eggs.
- Difficulty in retrieving eggs.
- Increased chances of miscarriage.
- Reduced IVF success rate.
How to Calculate Your (Body Mass Index) BMI for IVF?
So far, you have understood that BMI (Body Mass Index) and fertility are interconnected. The more you tend to be overweight and obese, the higher your chances of pregnancy complications.
You can calculate BMI through the BMI calculator for IVF or by taking your weight in kilograms and dividing it by your height in meters squared.
Based on your result, you can check what your BMI indicates:
- If the number is under 19, it indicates underweight.
- If the number is between 19 to 24, it is considered normal.
- If the number is between 25-29, it indicates overweight.
- If the number is above 30, it is considered obese.
What is the Ideal BMI Range for IVF?
According to the National Health Service (NHS), the ideal BMI for women is 19 to 25 based on their height and weight. While some fertility experts also prefer a BMI in the range of 19-24 for beginning an IVF treatment. In both cases, it is best to consult your fertility expert.
Weight Management Tips for IVF Success
Managing your weight under an ideal range is important for women’s IVF success rate. Make sure that you consult your physician before changing your lifestyle to lose or gain weight for IVF.
To keep your BMI under an optimal range, you should focus on:
- Avoiding junk and switching to healthier alternatives.
- Restricting smoking and alcohol intake.
- Restricting sugar intake.
- Brisk walking preferably after every meal.
- Strength training at least 3 times a week.
- Cardiovascular exercises.
- Yoga for a calm mind and body.
Conclusion
Weight plays a crucial role in your pregnancy journey. Physicians generally use body mass index or BMI to measure your body fat and IVF success. An ideal BMI range for IVF is between 19 to 25. If you are not in the optimal range, your physician will ask you to manage your weight before starting the IVF treatment.
If you require expert help with IVF or a pregnancy consultation, you can reach out to our fertility experts at Motherhood Fertility and IVF Center.
Common Questions About BMI and IVF
BMI and fertility are connected since a woman’s fertility is dependent on weight. While being underweight can cause hormonal imbalance and affect ovulation, being overweight can lead to other health conditions and reduce your chances of conceiving.
If you are not in the ideal BMI range, consult your physician. If you are underweight, focus on gaining a few kilos and losing some if you are overweight.
When you visit Motherhood IVF Hospital, our fertility specialist will help you understand your overall reproductive health. We will carry out simple tests to identify factors that may affect your fertility and guide you throughout the process.
BMI of 19 to 25 is the ideal BMI range for a women.
Your BMI for IVF treatment should be between 19 to 30.
Anywhere between 19 to 24 is the best to conceive naturally.
Yes, it does affect your egg quality. Many women who are overweight will still ovulate. But, quality of their egg is poor.
Yes, it does affect embryo implanttaion. Increased BMI affects embryo development and significantly reduces the pregnancy, implantation and live birth rates.
The ideal BMI (Body Mass Index) for fertility is between 18.5 and 24.9.