Weight-related infertility

Multiple studies have shown that weight can strongly influence how likely you’ll get pregnant. Problems with getting pregnant stem not only from cycle irregularities that can be caused by polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) but also by the single fact of being overweight. Research shows that even among women with regular cycles and otherwise no obvious fertility problems, high BMI decreases the chances of pregnancy. In addition, the higher the BMI the harder it gets. One of the studies by Dr. Van der Steeg shows that for every BMI unit over 29, the chances of getting pregnant fell by 4%. In other words, if your BMI is between 35 and 40, it will be 23% to 43% harder for you to get pregnant than if your BMI was between 21 and 29.

Will the lap-band help me get pregnant?

The reason behind the weight-induced infertility lies in hormonal imbalance caused by the way fat stores and releases hormones. So, if your BMI is over 30, then the high amount of fat tissue may throw your hormones out of balance and make getting pregnant harder. Obviously, the simplest treatment that is usually offered in this case is significant weight loss. If you are significantly overweight and there is no other reason for you to not be able to conceive, a weight loss procedure may be your best option. Choosing lap-band surgery will definitely increase your chances of pregnancy by the mere fact of making you healthier and losing those extra pounds that prevent you from becoming a mom.

How soon after losing weight can I get pregnant?

Usually we recommend for our DayOne Health patients to wait about a year after their weight loss. The reason why is that we want your body to first get used to your new weight and get some balance before throwing it off again with pregnancy. Also, getting your body used to its new shape will highly decrease the chances of you gaining a lot of weight during pregnancy and make it easier for you to lose it after having your baby.

Is pregnancy with lap-band healthy?

All of the available weight loss surgeries will help you lose weight, and as a result help to get pregnant. Nevertheless, while researching your options you should also pay attention to the mechanism that the procedures cause to make you lose weight. For instance, malabsorption procedures, such as gastric bypass or duodenal switch, will cause you to not digest certain foods and not absorb them properly. This means that pregnancy after these procedures will require more attention to whether you are getting all the nutrition you need. In contrast, with gastric band your pregnancy will be no different than without it. Once you know you’re pregnant, you book your office appointment, and we will simply remove all the fluid from the band which gives you the room you need to give your baby all the nutrients he/she needs.

If you believe that your fertility problems may be connected with your weight contact our patient advocate at 312-239-3838 and learn about the ways lap-band can help you with conceiving. If you would like to meet with a bariatric weight loss specialist schedule your one-on-one consultation with a lap-band surgeon today.