Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Clinical Assisted Reproduction: Increased Body Mass Index Has a Deleterious Effect on In Vitro Fertilization Outcome

  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose: Few studies have addressed the effect of weight on IVF outcome, with some showing a decrease in IVF success and some showing no change in overweight women (BMI > 25 kg/m2) compared to women with normal weight (BMI < 25 kg/m2).

Methods: One hundred thirty-nine women <40 years old undergoing 180 IVF cycles with fresh embryo transfers were retrospectively evaluated between January 1997 and March 1999, stratified by body mass index (BMI) (cutoff of 25).

Results: In the group with BMI > 25 kg/m2, basal FSH, implantation rates (IR), and pregnancy rates (PR) were significantly lower, while the duration of stimulation, gonadotropin requirements, and spontaneous miscarriages were slightly higher, compared to the BMI ≤ 25 group.

Conclusions: Excess weight defined as BMI > 25 kg/m2 has a negative impact on IVF outcome. Future prospective studies evaluating oocyte and/or embryo quality, and androgen and insulin levels, between overweight women and those with normal weight are needed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  1. Reid RL, Van Vugt DA: Weight-related changes in reproductive function. Fertil Steril 1987;48:905-913

    Google Scholar 

  2. Mokdad AH, Serdula MK, Dietz WH, Bowman BA, Marks JS, Koplan JP: The spread of the obesity epidemic in the United States, 1991-1998. JAMA 1999;282:1519-1522

    Google Scholar 

  3. Calle EE, Thun MJ, Petrelli JM, Robriguez C, Heath CW Jr: Body-mass index and mortality in a prospective cohort of U.S. adults. NEJM 1999;341:1097-1104

    Google Scholar 

  4. Must A, Spadano J, Coakley EH, Field AE, Colditz G, Dietz WH: The disease burden associated with overweight and obesity. JAMA 1999;282:1523-1529

    Google Scholar 

  5. Allison DB, Fontaine KR, Manson JE, Stevens J, VanItallie TB: Annual deaths attributable to obesity in the United States. JAMA 1999;282:1530-1538

    Google Scholar 

  6. Clark AM, Thornley B, Tomlinson L, Galletley C, Norman RJ: Weight loss in obese infertile women results in improvement in reproductive outcome for all forms of fertility treatment. Hum Reprod 1998;13:1502-1505

    Google Scholar 

  7. Harlass FE, Plymate SR, Fariss BL, Belts RP: Weight loss is associated with correction of gonadotropin and sex steroid abnormalities in the obese anovulatory female. Fertil Steril 1984;42:649-652

    Google Scholar 

  8. Hollmann M, Runnebaum B, Gerhard I: Effects of weight loss on the hormonal profile in obese, infertile women. Hum Reprod 1996;11:1884-1891

    Google Scholar 

  9. Halme J, Hammond MG, Talber LM, O'Rand M, Bailey L, Sloan C: Positive correlation between body weight, length of human menopausal gonadotropin stimulation, and oocyte fertilization rate. Fertil Steril 1986;45:372-376

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lewis CG, Warnes GM, Wand X, Matthews CD: Failure of body mass index or body weight to influence markedly the response to ovarian hyperstimulation in normal cycling women. Fertil Steril 1990;53:1097-1099

    Google Scholar 

  11. Crosignani PG, Ragni G, Parazzini F, Wyssling H, Lombroso G, Perotti L: Anthropometric indicators and response to gonadotrophin for ovulation induction. Hum Reprod 1994;9:420-423

    Google Scholar 

  12. Wass P, Waldenstrom U, Rossner S, Hellberg D: An android body fat distribution in females impairs the pregnancy rate of in-vitro fertilization embryo transfer. Hum Reprod 1997;12:2057-2060

    Google Scholar 

  13. Lashen H, Ledger W, Lopez-Bernal A, Barlow D: Extremes of body mass do not adversely affect the outcome of superovulation and in-vitro fertilization. Hum Reprod 1999;14:712-715

    Google Scholar 

  14. Wittemer C, Ohl J, Bailly M, Bettahar-Lebugle K, Nisand I: Does body mass index of infertile women have an impact on IVF procedure and outcome? J Assist Reprod Genetics 2000;17:547-552

    Google Scholar 

  15. Sharara FI, McClamrock HD: High estradiol levels and high oocyte yield are not detrimental to in vitro fertilization outcome. Fertil Steril 1999;72:401-405

    Google Scholar 

  16. Wang JX, Davies M, Norman RJ: Body mass and probability of pregnancy during assisted reproduction treatment: Retrospective study. BMJ 2000;321:1320-1321

    Google Scholar 

  17. Leondires MP, Escalpes M, Segars JH, Scott RT, Miller BT: Microdose follicular phase gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRH-a) compared with luteal phase GnRH-a for ovarian stimulation at in vitro fertilization. Fertil Steril 1999;72:1018-1023

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland

    J. B. Loveland, Howard D. McClamrock & Fady I. Sharara

  2. Department of Anesthesiology, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland

    Andrew M. Malinow

Authors
  1. J. B. Loveland
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Howard D. McClamrock
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Andrew M. Malinow
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Fady I. Sharara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Loveland, J.B., McClamrock, H.D., Malinow, A.M. et al. Clinical Assisted Reproduction: Increased Body Mass Index Has a Deleterious Effect on In Vitro Fertilization Outcome. J Assist Reprod Genet 18, 382–386 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016622506479

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016622506479

Search

Navigation