Optimising Pregnancy Success with Traditional Chinese Medicine
The Impact of Healthy Body Weight and ART (IVF/ IUI/ ICSI) Success
Unhealthy weight can lead to difficulties with assisted reproduction, such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF)
The success of IVF depends on numerous factors, and the woman's weight is one of them. Unhealthy weight, specifically being overweight or obese, can introduce significant challenges during the IVF process. Here's how:
Hormonal imbalances:
Excess weight can lead to hormonal imbalances, particularly insulin resistance and higher levels of certain hormones like leptin.
These imbalances can negatively affect the ovaries’ function, disrupt regular ovulation, and impact the quality of eggs retrieved during the IVF process.
Response to medications:
IVF involves a series of medications to stimulate egg production.
Women with unhealthy weight might not respond as effectively to these medications, which can result in fewer eggs being produced and retrieved. This can limit the chances of success during IVF cycles.
Egg quality:
The quality of eggs retrieved is a crucial determinant of IVF success.
Unhealthy weight can influence egg quality due to oxidative stress and inflammation caused by excess fat tissue. Poor egg quality can lead to lower fertilization rates and a reduced likelihood of embryo implantation.
Embryo development:
Even if fertilization is successful, embryos from women with unhealthy weight might have compromised development.
This can lead to a lower number of viable embryos available for transfer and lower chances of implantation.
Implantation & pregnancy rates:
Implantation of the embryo into the uterus is a critical step for IVF success. Unhealthy weight can lead to a less receptive uterine environment, reducing the chances of successful embryo implantation.
Additionally, overweight and obese women tend to have lower pregnancy rates following IVF procedures.
Risk of complications:
Unhealthy weight increases the risk of complications during pregnancy, and this risk extends to pregnancies resulting from IVF.
Complications like gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and preterm birth can be more prevalent in women with unhealthy weight, potentially affecting the health of both the mother and the baby.