HOW OBESITY AFFECTS REPRODUCTION IN MEN AND WOMEN
Did you know that being overweight can significantly affect your chances of conceiving? If you’re trying to get pregnant or intend to start trying in the next few years, healthy eating and regular exercise can help boost your fertility. The father’s weight can also affect your chances of getting pregnant because sperm quality is slightly worse than that of men with a healthy BMI. Obesity also increases the risk of pregnancy complications and health problems for the baby. Obese women have a higher risk of miscarriage and infants born to overweight women are more likely to be too big for their age.
In order to lose weight for fertility in a healthy way, you should start by eliminating all the junk food in your diet and looking at what you eat. You will also need to start an exercise routine which will help you shed the unwanted kilograms as well as help you build up and maintain your overall health.
Obesity and sexual performance
Being overweight does affect your libido because it is associated with lack of stamina. Desire for sex, performance and enjoyment can drop significantly. Obesity is also directly linked to an imbalance in hormones and lower testosterone levels in males. In addition, too much abdominal fat interferes with testosterone production. Overweight men may have a more difficult time having sex than slim men. Obese men may also suffer from buried penis syndrome which is a condition where the penis is buried beneath folds of skin. Women with a higher BMI are also more likely to suffer from sexual problems. The benefits of weight loss include improved mobility, an increase in energy as well as self-esteem which are all factors that will contribute to a better sex life. One of the simplest ways to boost testosterone levels is by working on getting a flatter belly. You will have to change what you eat and drink as well as getting into a training routine.
Obesity and reproduction in women
In women, being overweight increases the risk of menstrual problems which can lead to a lower chance of conception. Some women tend to become overweight during their pregnancy and others are already overweight when they become pregnant. Obesity has been linked to failure of the egg production – due to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when cells fail to respond normally to the hormone insulin. The reproductive system is sensitive to influences from the external environment. Obesity also increases the rate of miscarriages, further decreasing successful pregnancy among obese women.₁
Obesity and reproduction in men
Being overweight can also affect a man’s fertility. Men that are overweight often suffer from low sperm levels which can further contribute to fertility problems. This is because there is a higher level of fat around the testicles. Start a healthy eating and exercising plan now so that you can increase the chances of your partner getting pregnant and giving birth to a healthy baby. Obesity can also cause hormonal changes which can make men less interested in sex. Combined, these factors reduce the chances of obese men fathering children.