He looked at women that were at varying levels of obesity AND were ovulating regularly. These women had also had been unable to get pregnant after trying for a year or more. Their infertility had been labeled as “unexplained” by their doctors.
What he found was that for every BMI (Body Mass Index) unit above 29, the likelihood for a successful pregnancy was reduced by 4 percent. In addition, women that were even more obese, those with BMI units greater than 35 had a 26-43 percent lower chance to become pregnant. These women were all compared to healthy women with a BMI between 21-29.
One theory that may explain these findings is that obesity interferes with hormone levels that are critical for conception. This is a concern for some women, including those living in Western Europe and North America, where many are waiting until they are older to begin a family. And since women often gain weight as they get older, the two factors may be working against them and their hopes of getting pregnant.
So, if you are ovulating regularly and still have not been able to conceive, talk with your doctor about BMI, it may be the reason for the struggle!