Weight Issues & Fertility Not Just a Woman's Concern

Here we are again -- the end of year holidays. This time can have a real double whammy effect on people trying to conceive. First, there are the joyous gatherings... with babies everywhere. Then, there's the abundance of food, much of it rich and not-so-nutritious. You know, the kind that's so much fun to enjoy too much of...

Why is food a problem for people trying to get pregnant?

By now you've probably heard about the impact that weight has on a woman's fertility -- both too little and too much weight can result in ovulation disorders. Also, overweight women increase their surgical risks even for procedures as commonplace as egg retrieval. But there's more research now that says men need to keep an eye on their fatty food intake, too.

At this year's meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, researchers presented evidence that men with the highest intake of saturated fat had 41% fewer sperm than those who ate less. Also, men who ate more omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fats, specifically, had better sperm motility and morphology.

There is some good news on the research front for men who are overweight. The low testosterone levels that apparently go along with high BMI (body mass index) do respond positively to clomiphene citrate (Clomid).

But on this eve of one of our country's biggest binge-eating holidays, I'd recommend having a double helping of the carrots and lay off the gravy a little bit.

Also see:

When Fertility Really Is About Your Diet

Weight & Fertility (from my April 2007 newsletter)

Could Your Fertility Problems Be Related to Diet?

May is Celiac Disease Awareness Month, so it's a good time to put the word out about how this rather invisible disease might impact a woman's fertility.

The Celiac Disease Foundation has a list of symptoms that could be considered if you're wondering.

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness offers excellent primer info on the possible connections between the disease and infertility.

Generally, my fertility-focused advice to people diagnosed with celiac disease would include the recommended dietary changes plus any additional fertility treatments, depending on other factors like the woman's age.

Another Dietary Connection to Fertility: Fish Oil

Add another notch to the belt of fish oil purveyors. A study recently published in Human Reproduction found that diets high in omega-3 fatty acids were less likely to develop endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a common, painful, and very demoralizing female medical condition. Long before it causes infertility in many patients, the "stray" endometrial tissue that is the hallmark of the disease makes everyday life a cycle-related struggle. Very painful periods are a common sign of endometriosis, and unfortunately, the related complaints of many teens and young women are dismissed.

Untreated endometriosis can continue undiagnosed for years until a woman finds out as a result of infertility. Accurate diagnosis is only accomplished with diagnostic laparoscopy. Many times during that diagnostic procedure itself, treatment can also be performed, in the form of removing the endometrial growths.

Research to learn more about the beginnings of endometriosis is ongoing. With this new information about links between diet and the disease's occurrence, women may be able to take a more active role in preventing this and other potential debilitating conditions.

When Fertility Really Is About Your Diet

No woman wants to be told she needs to lose weight, least of all my patients who have struggled (sometimes for years) with trying to get pregnant. Whether we decide their fertility treatment will include fertility medications, IVF, IUI, or some other assisted reproductive technology, the best starting point is a healthy body -- and for many, that means coming to a more optimal weight.

This article in the Belfast Telegraph describes a rather novel approach to meeting the challenge of weight versus fertility, specifically as it relates to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), one of the most common causes of female infertility.

Are there similar programs in the United States?