Obesity and Infertility: What Every Couple Should Know
By Dr Norazlin Rosli, Gynaecologist
“Why does the doctor always ask me to lose some weight if I want to get pregnant? I want a baby, not to slave away in the gym…”
Obesity has become a common problem in our community. There are too many ‘viral food places’ to visit and too many enticing arrays of mouth-watering delicacies to queue for. In 2019, about 20% of Malaysians were considered obese. Just four years later, in 2023, 50% of our population is either overweight or obese!
It has become too easy to overeat—everything is just at our fingertips. With food delivery services, all it takes is a few taps, and food arrives at our doorstep.
But did you know that excess weight and obesity can disrupt fertility and hinder your chances of conceiving? Obesity affects egg growth and quality, reduces the likelihood of fertilization, and impairs embryo development and maturation. A poor-quality embryo has a lower chance of implanting in the womb, significantly affecting your chances of pregnancy.
“But if it’s difficult to conceive, I’ll just get fertility treatment…”
Even with fertility treatment, obesity lowers your chances of success. Research shows that even with IVF, the success rate is lower for obese individuals compared to those with a healthy weight. This is because the body responds less effectively to fertility injections, resulting in fewer eggs of poorer quality. Poor-quality eggs lead to poor-quality embryos, which are less likely to implant. Even if pregnancy is achieved, the risks of miscarriage, preterm labor, diabetes, and hypertension are higher.
Additionally, ovarian stimulation (to grow eggs) often requires much higher doses and a longer duration for those who are obese, increasing the overall cost of treatment.
