Getting pregnant is the dream of many women, and sometimes for some women this dream can be a bit more complicated to achieve. For some women, there are certain factors that contribute to infertility, such as weight for example. Some people tend to have problems with weight even before trying to conceive, and this can make conception more difficult. So how can you get pregnant when overweight? In some cases, being overweight can make it harder for a woman to get pregnant, and in other cases, it may even cause infertility. But sometimes it isn’t even a significant weight gain that makes the difference when trying to conceive, yet it still causes problems. If a woman wants to know how to get pregnant when overweight, there are some steps that can make pregnancy easier when a woman decides to conceive, and they are simple:
Regular check-ups: Hormone tests like TSH, LH, progesterone, testosterone, estrogen, and others, as well as checking blood pressure and glucose, can make a woman feel more reassured when trying to get pregnant. And, of course, ultrasound tests to check uterine health make a big difference. Just like women with PCOS, women who are overweight may face hormonal problems when trying to conceive, making regular testing important — hormones are everything and then some for pregnancy.
Talk to your doctor: Knowing the risks and how they can be treated is helpful in learning how to get pregnant when overweight. Moreover, your doctor can prescribe a special diet, or even refer you to a nutritionist to help develop a diet suitable for those who want to conceive. Sometimes medicines are needed to help facilitate pregnancy, such as hormone regulators, ovulation inducers, and Ovidrel or similar.
The age factor: If the woman is young, the chances of getting pregnant quickly, even when overweight, are much higher.
If all your hormones are in balance and you’re healthy, the difficulties in getting pregnant will be different, and so will the risks when you get pregnant at a higher weight or gain a lot of weight during pregnancy. But there’s no exact science for how to get pregnant when overweight, because even women at a normal weight may have difficulties too. The best thing is to keep your hormone tests up to date and know that even after you do get pregnant, the risks of conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes remain, so the situation has to be carefully monitored by your doctor. Remember that everything should be done with care to avoid bigger problems during your future pregnancy.
I remember when I got pregnant while overweight, the obstetrician really called my attention to it, scared me a lot talking about things like high blood pressure, diabetes, preeclampsia, and other issues. Even so, I lost quite a bit of weight in the first 4 months, not because I was dieting, but simply because I couldn’t eat, and even then I was at risk for preeclampsia. When I was still trying to get pregnant, I found out I had a hemorrhagic cyst on my left ovary that made me gain weight and retain fluid, making it harder to conceive, and I was only able to get pregnant after treating the problem and losing a bit of weight. Maybe that’s the solution in your case — I didn’t lose that many kilos, but it helped, and many doctors recommend losing at least a little bit of weight before trying to conceive.
I think what weighs most is people’s prejudice about this topic, so there’s nothing better than someone who has been through it to tell you more. Like me, some friends and readers went through some difficulties trying to get pregnant — and fortunately, others did not. Check out the stories from women who are trying, have already gotten pregnant, or have already had their babies even though they were overweight.
Readers’ Stories
Nathalia Joinovici
1. Any problems due to weight?
I’ve never had problems because of my weight, only during pregnancy my blood pressure went up a bit, but I take medicine to prevent it from rising again, right. Nothing more than that!
2. Did you need any treatment to get pregnant?
I haven’t needed any treatment.
3. Did your doctor make any restrictions on the birth? (vaginal birth or C-section)
THANK GOD, my doctor said I can have a vaginal birth, so far there’s nothing that prevents a normal delivery!
Débora Rodrigues
1. Did you have any difficulty getting pregnant because of weight?
I didn’t have trouble getting pregnant because of my weight, my bigger problem is my husband. His sperm are slow and take a while to swim up and die along the way, as the doctor jokes. My husband is getting treatment to make his sperm stronger and increase their count.
2. Did you take any medicine or have any treatment?
I used clomid to help with ovulation, together with my husband’s treatment to improve sperm quality. I also took Mulher Saúde, which helps clear out and supports women who want to get pregnant.
3. Did weight affect your hormones?
My weight didn’t affect my hormones, but it did affect my blood pressure, I suffer from high blood pressure.
Udine Sena 1. Did you have any infertility issues while being overweight?
Even being overweight, I got pregnant twice with no problem
2. Did doctors say anything about your weight?
They say it’s good to control it during pregnancy to avoid problems in daily life and at birth
3. Any blood pressure or other problems in pregnancy because of weight?
I don’t have any health issues, just feel heavy and have trouble moving around and doing some basic activities!
Getting pregnant while overweight is not a big deal, but just know that these precautions are necessary for a healthy and smooth pregnancy. If you’re still looking for how to get pregnant at a higher weight, know that your chances can be good, but your health has to be 100%!
