Plus-size and trying to get pregnant through IVF? Here's why the process can be especially challenging
If for whatever reason, a hopeful parent can’t get pregnant through sex, an option they may consider is in vitro fertilization, also known as IVF. In a nutshell, IVF entails retrieving eggs from the ovaries, fertilizing them with sperm in a lab, then transferring the resulting embryo to the uterus. Unfortunately, IVF isn’t a simple (or cheap) process, to understate it and getting pregnant as a plus-size woman can be even more difficult.
"In general, elevated BMI [body mass index] contributes to a myriad of chronic health conditions,” says Dr. Tia Jackson-Bey, an ob-gyn and specialist at RMA of New York. As examples, she lists mechanisms needed for reproduction (such as ovulation, egg quality, menstrual patterns and ability to conceive) as well as negative impacts on reproductive outcomes (such as decreased embryo implantation, increased risk of miscarriage, lower testosterone levels in men and less response to fertility medications).
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