Overweight Couples More Likely to Have Conception Trouble

Overweight or obese couples are more likely to wait longer before having a baby, compared to healthy weight couples, according to Danish researchers. The chances that an obese couple waits almost a year before the woman gets pregnant are three times higher compared to a normal weight couple.

Obesity affects fertility for both men and women, said the Danish experts. The study proved a connection between the body mass index (BMI) of a couple and their fertility.
An even higher risk of low fertility arises in couples where both partners are overweight. Pregnancy delays were also noticed among couples where the man is overweight and the woman underweight, according to lead author Cecilia Ramlau-Hansen.

Infertility risks as much as four times higher were noticed in couples where the woman is overweight and the man underweight says Ramlau-Hansen.

Researchers studied couples where the woman had an initial BMI of eighteen or more and previous pregnancies. They noticed that almost three days of waiting come along with every two pounds gained.

Further analysis proved that the pregnancy wait time may be reduced with weight loss. For two pounds lost, a woman can reduce the waiting time for pregnancy with almost six days.

A man’s semen quality and levels of hormones are also affected by obesity, while for women obesity may also lead to ovulation problems, early fetus development, conception, or fetus implantation, previous studies showed.