Center for Reproductive and Fetal Medicine

WHY IS THERE A LIMIT OF BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) FOR IVF?

WHY IS THERE A LIMIT OF BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) FOR IVF?

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be especially important when trying to conceive, either naturally or by IVF, so it is important to make sure you are at a healthy weight. A high BMI may mean that the success rates of fertility treatments, including IVF, ICSI and IUI, are affected.

 

A high BMI can affect the function of your ovaries and the way your body responds to any medication used in fertility treatment, which are both very important factors in in vitro fertilization. If your BMI is higher than recommended, it could also mean that you are at a higher risk of pregnancy complications, so most fertility clinics have a maximum and a minimum BMI to ensure you are safe.

 

BMI is not just a problem for women - men also need to be careful about their weight to ensure that their sperm are not affected. Men who are overweight may have problems with their sperm motility as well as their sperm count.

 

Can I get pregnant with a high BMI?

You can get pregnant if you have a BMI that is either higher or lower than the healthy range, although your chances of success may be affected. Studies have shown that a high BMI can affect the quality of your eggs, while a very low BMI can affect your chances of getting pregnant and can also increase your risk of complications.

 

 

What is the best BMI when trying to conceive?

The ideal BMI to get pregnant, either naturally or through IVF, is between 19 and 25. Usually, IVF may be less successful in women with a BMI over 30. High BMI may also be associated with risks of anesthesia during pregnancy. egg collection and pregnancy complications such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

 

When planning to start IVF, it is important to ensure that you follow a healthy lifestyle, as this can help you get the best results possible.

 

 

* The content on this blog is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health care providers with questions you may have about medical conditions.

Center for Reproductive and Fetal Medicine

Effective doctor-patient communication is vital to providing high-quality health care. Any communication regarding your medical profile (getting results, instructions, answering questions, concerns) will be done directly with the doctor. This means no midwife or secretary will interrupt your conversations. Instead, if you call with any concerns, they will be there right away to address your needs. Contact us by calling 694 649 8771 or by completing the relevant Contact Form.

Dr. Alexandros Traianos

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FREQUENT QUESTIONS

The association of IVF drugs with cancer risk is a major concern for women enrolled in these programs. But the plethora of bibliographic reports collected from credible scientific studies and published in reputable medical journals worldwide are reassuring and do not confirm this concern.

Of course not. In about a third of cases, infertility is due to the woman (female factor), while in a third of cases, it is due to the man (male factor). The remaining one-third is due to both (both men and women) or even to unknown factors.

The quantity and quality of a man's sperm can be affected by his health and lifestyle. Some factors that can reduce the quantity and / or quality of sperm are:

  • the alcohol
  • drugs
  • environmental toxins, including pesticides and lead
  • smoking
  • health problems
  • medicines
  • radiotherapy and chemotherapy
  • the age

Success rates vary at each IVF Center. Very important factors are also the age of the woman, the levels of her hormones and of course the sperm of the husband. Rates generally range from 45% or slightly higher for women up to 35 years old.

Infertility is defined as the failure to conceive after one year (or 6 months, if it is a woman over 35) with normal, regular sexual intercourse. In other words, when a year passes without the woman becoming pregnant, the couple should consult their doctor to determine the cause of the pregnancy and then treat it. We must all, however, be aware and not forget that the age factor is the most critical for female fertility and that the individualized approach of each couple is the "golden key" that solves the problem.

The number of treatment cycles a woman can undergo is not specified. It is certain that in our country there are high level obstetricians-gynecologists and organized infertility treatment centers, which offer impeccable medical services at this level. If there are correct indications (eg ovaries that respond to stimulation therapy, good quality endometrium, etc.) the success rate -especially with the use of newer techniques and biotechnological drugs, which show increased bioactivity compared to conventional drugs from urine- totals approximately 65%-70% after 4 cycles of treatment.

At the Center for Reproductive Medicine of Dr. Traianos we offer egg / sperm cryopreservation services for those who have a personal or medical reason and need this service. We use the most modern vitrification technique in the freezing of sperm and eggs.

The collection of eggs takes 10-15 minutes, it is not painful, it is done under intoxication and after the end of the process you return to your activities.

In general, experts agree that the fact that a couple has already had a child can be considered evidence that there is no infertility problem in the first place. It is like a small test that has been done and proves that they "succeeded" at least once. On the other hand, we need to know that in the meantime things may have changed and a problem may have arisen (eg the man may have had some inflammation that affects the quality of his sperm or has mediated something that affects female fertility: an inflammation, a gynecological surgery, an abortion, etc.). In any case, if a reasonable period of time (one year) passes and a couple can not achieve a pregnancy, then he should with the help of his doctor investigate if there has been a problem that causes infertility.