The effect of obesity on fertility
The dream of building a family is a legal dream for every couple, but it is an obstacle for many, especially those who suffer from obesity because it affects all body functions in general and stops a person’s life from practicing his daily life normally, as it affects the health of the heart, respiratory system, the digestive system, and bones, and thus will negatively affect the Gentiles of both men and women.
In this article, we will know more details and research that has proven the effect of obesity on fertility for men and women, and how bariatric surgeries can solve the problem of delayed pregnancy.
Obesity in men:
Several studies have proven to compare thin men with obese men with a low sperm count, which has a faster velocity and fewer cells that move forward. There are also studies on obese men, who complain of an imbalance or decrease in the level of testosterone and an increase in other sex hormones such as estrogen, compared to men of healthy weight, which affects sexual performance and loss of sexual desire in general. We also add that obesity affects blood flow to the genitals and impairs blood circulation, causing erectile dysfunction.
High BMI causes what is called oxidative stress, which causes increased production of reactive oxygen species, which damages the genetic material inside the sperm. It has also been proven that the presence of excess fat in the thighs and inner pubic area leads to an increase in the temperature of the testicles to more than 35 degrees Celsius, which is also a sufficient reason to impair the production of sperm normally.
Obesity in women:
Estrogen is secreted by the ovaries and adrenal glands. The ovaries secrete estrogen in specific amounts depending on the stage of the menstrual cycle, while the adrenal gland secretes a substance called androstenedione, which fat cells convert into a type of estrogen called estrone. In the case of weight gain or obesity, the increase in estrogen secretion as a result of this transformation, which affects the function of the ovaries mainly, and thus affects the disturbance of the natural ovulation cycle and over time leads to infertility.
Obesity risks for women:
1- Increased chances of infertility.
2- Irregular menstruation cycle.
3- Increase the chance of miscarriage.
4- Low success rate of fertility treatments.
Irregular menstruation is also one of the causes of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is a common feature between it and women who suffer from obesity. A woman who suffers from PCOS has many cysts in the ovaries, and this leads to the secretion of large amounts of androgens and estrogens, and this prevents the completion of the ovulation process naturally, which leads to infertility.
Can fertility problems be treated in men and women who are suffering from obesity?
Of course not, and if some doctors who specialize in treating fertility problems agree, this is dishonest because these patients did not resort to solving the main problem, which is obesity. Therefore, doctors who are experienced and honest are advised to get rid of obesity first so that the treatment can be carried out easily.
And in that case, it is preferable to resort to bariatric surgeries to lose weight in a record time and achieve the dream at an appropriate age, because it is also known that advanced age, even for those who did not suffer from obesity, is an obstacle to the success of pregnancy naturally. After bariatric surgeries, all the instructions of the bariatric surgeon and nutritionist must be adhered to change the lifestyle, so that the man or woman can treat their fertility problems to achieve their dream of building happy families for the community.
