Fertility & Weight: The 10% Connection

Posted on January 26, 2012

Could weight gain be one of the symptoms of infertility? Could being overweight cause infertility? If you are like 10% of women worldwide, you could be experiencing a condition called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).

PCOS can occur any time before menopause and is often misdiagnosed because many of its symptoms are common to other women’s health issues.

Understanding how PCOS occurs is easier if you can picture what happens to your ovaries during the menstruation process. Normally, follicles grow inside your ovaries each month and one or two of the stronger follicles produce an egg. When you ovulate, the egg pops out of the follicle and starts flowing towards the uterus. This causes a host of hormones to be secreted that will either trigger monthly period or help the uterus to support an embryo if the egg is fertilized.

The ovaries of women with PCOS produce an abundance of follicles, but none of them become dominant and an egg is not able to form. These leftover follicles aren’t dangerous, but they produce a variety of symptoms that disrupt the balance of hormones since ovulation doesn’t occur.

Women with PCOS often exhibit the following symptoms:

• Infertility
  
• Irregular or absent periods
  
• Excessive weight gain, usually carried around the waist
  
• Depression and mood swings
  
• High blood pressure
  
• Excess facial hair
  
• Insulin resistance
  

The causes of PCOS are unclear, but there are some things that you and your doctor can do to help:

• Maintain a healthy weight. Since obesity is common in women with PCOS, a healthy diet combined with physical activity may help to stabilize your periods. A reduced diet can also help you to stop excessive weight gain and control your insulin levels.
  
• Birth control pills can help to regulate menstrual cycles for women who don’t want to become pregnant. However, taking the pill doesn’t cure PCOS, and the menstrual cycle will become abnormal again if the pill is stopped.
  
• If you want to become pregnant, fertility treatments are available for potential moms. You might want to see a fertility specialist for more options.
  
• Discuss various treatments for PCOS symptoms based on your individual test results.
  

Having regular periods is important to prevent osteoporosis and maintain regular estrogen levels, so talk to your health care practitioner if you are exhibiting some of the symptoms of PCOS. PCOS and your weight – they are manageable!

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