Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Does Body Mass Index of Infertile Women Have an Impact on IVF Procedure and Outcome?

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

Abstract

Purpose: The objective was to explore whether body mass index (BMI) of women related to the different parameters of the in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure and outcome.

Methods: This retrospective study on 398 couples analyzed epidemiological features, characteristics of ovarian stimulation, number and quality of retrieved oocytes, as well as pregnancy outcome according to three groups of BMI values: BMI < 20, 20 ≤ BMI < 25 and BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2.

Results: The prevalence of underweight and overweight women was 21.8% and 22.3%, respectively. The mean ratio follicle-stimulating hormone–luteinizing hormone increased significantly according to BMI. An increase in the mean number of consummated gonadotropin ampoules together with a decrease in the number of collected oocytes was observed in long stimulation protocol cycles when BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2. The same observations were made in short stimulation protocol cycles for BMI < 20 and ≥ 25 kg/m2. No significant difference could be found in clinical pregnancy and miscarriage rates between underweight, normal weight, and overweight patients.

Conclusions: Both underweight and overweight have negative effects on IVF parameters and outcome leading to decreased chances of pregnancy.

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. Green BB, Weiss NS, Daling JR: Risk of ovulatory infertility in relation to body weight. Fertil Steril 1988;50:721-726

    Google Scholar 

  2. Zaadstra BM, Seidell JC, Van Noord PAH, Tevelde ER, Habbema JDF, Vrieswijk B, Karbaat J: Fat and female fecundity: Prospective study of effect of body fat distribution on conception rates. Br Med J 1993;306:484-487

    Google Scholar 

  3. Grodstein F, Goldman M, Cramer D: Body mass index and ovulatory infertility. Epidemiology 1994;5:247-250

    Google Scholar 

  4. Déchaud H, Ferron G, Anahory T, Arnal F, Humeau C, Hédon B: Obésité et assistance mé dicale á la procréation. Contracept Fertil Sex 1998;26:564-567

    Google Scholar 

  5. Clark AM, Thorley 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 

  6. Brost BC, Goldenberg RL, Mercer BM, Iams JD, Meis PJ, Moawad AH, Newman RB, Miodovnik M, Caritis SN, Thurnau GR, Bottoms SF, Das A, McNellis D: The preterm prediction study: Association of cesarean delivery with increases in maternal weight and body mass index. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1997;177:333-341

    Google Scholar 

  7. 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 

  8. Zullo F, Di Carlo C, Pellicano M, Catizone C, Mastrantonio P, Nappi C: Superovulation with urinary human follicle-stimulating hormone: Correlations with body mass index and body fat distribution. Gynecol Endocrinol 1996;10:17-21

    Google Scholar 

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

    Google Scholar 

  10. Veeck L: Atlas of the Human Oocyte and Early Conceptus (Vol. 2). Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, 1991

    Google Scholar 

  11. Van Steirteghem A, Nagy Z, Joris H, Liu J, Staessen C, Smitz J, Wisanto A, Devroey P: High fertilization and implantation rates after intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Hum Reprod 1993;8:1061-1066

    Google Scholar 

  12. 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 

  13. Singh KB, Mahajan DK, Wortsman J: Effect of obesity on the clinical and hormonal characteristics of the polycystic ovary syndrome. J Reprod Med 1994;39:805-808

    Google Scholar 

  14. Galtier-Dereure F, Pujol P, Dewailly D, Bringer J: Choice of stimulation in polycystic ovarian syndrome: The influence of obesity. Hum Reprod 1997;13(Suppl 1):88-96

    Google Scholar 

  15. Mukherjee T, Copperman AB, Lapinski R, Sandler B, Bustillo M, Grunfeld L: An elevated day three follicle-stimulating hormone: luteinizing hormone ratio (FSH/LH) in the presence of a normal day 3 FSH predicts a poor response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. Fertil Steril 1996;65:588-593

    Google Scholar 

  16. Shepard MK, Balmaceda JP, Lelia CG: Relationship of weight to successful induction of ovulation with clomiphene citrate. Fertil Steril 1979;32:641-645

    Google Scholar 

  17. Dickey RP, Taylor SN, Curole DN, Rye PH, Lu PY, Pyrzak R: Relationship of clomiphene dose and patient weight to successful treatment. Hum Reprod 1997;12:449-453

    Google Scholar 

  18. Wass P, Waldenström U, Rössner 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 

  19. Bray GA: Obesity and reproduction. Hum Reprod 1997; 12(Suppl. 1):26-32

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Infertility Centre, Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Centre Médico-Chirurgical et Obstétrical (SIHCUS), 19 Rue Louis Pasteur, BP 120, 67303, Schiltigheim, France

    Christiane Wittemer, Jeanine Ohl, Karima Bettahar-Lebugle & Israel Nisand

  2. Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal, 10 Rue du Champ Gaillard, 78303, Poissy, France

    Marc Bailly

Authors
  1. Christiane Wittemer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jeanine Ohl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marc Bailly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Karima Bettahar-Lebugle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Israel Nisand
    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

Wittemer, C., Ohl, J., Bailly, M. et al. Does Body Mass Index of Infertile Women Have an Impact on IVF Procedure and Outcome?. J Assist Reprod Genet 17, 547–552 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026477628723

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026477628723

Search

Navigation