Women with obesity receive inconsistent counseling about the impact that their weight can have on fertility and about weight loss strategies before they begin infertility care. This was a key finding of a research project conducted at CARS with the results presented at the ASRM Scientific Congress & Expo.
The study, conducted by Dr. Margaret O’Neill and Dr. John Nulsen noted that obesity is an increasingly important contributor to infertility among women of reproductive age. It also has been associated with increased maternal morbidity and reduced fecundity. Obesity reduces infertility treatment success as well, the researchers said, requiring complex workup before treatment begins.
Despite these obstacles and risks, few doctors regularly engage in weight counseling. Women with obesity, then, often seek infertility treatment before being advised to lose weight or counseled on how best to do so.
