Two academic studies, one from England and a second from Australia confirm what researchers have long suspected; losing weight can make it easier for women to conceive.

Professor Bill Ledger from the University of Sheffield in England, said results indicated that obese women who lost a meager 5-10% of their weight increased blood flood in their bodies which in turn acted like a "switch" to activiate participants' ovaries. The three-month study of overweight women, many of whom were suffering from polycystic ovarian syndrome went on to conclude that even "minor" weight loss can increase a woman's chances of getting pregnant.

In an interview with BBC News, Ledger added that the results indicated that overweight women with PCOS didn't have to go overboard and lose "half your body weight" and that 5-10% weight loss may be enough to help conceive.


A weight loss of only five percent was shown to increase blood flow to the womb by 19 percent, and testosterone levels, which are higher in women with PCOS, also decreased as a result of the weight loss.

The study was presented at the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology.

A second study at the University of Adelaide in Australia confirms Ledger's findings. Gillian Homan, fertility nurse specialist from the university's Robinson Institute concluded that lifestyle can be key in helping couples achieve their goal of a healthy baby.

The study, published in the Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, showed that evidence of the impact of weight on fertility is very strong, and is considered an important risk factor in womens' infertility.

“Both obesity and low body weight can cause hormone imbalances and affect ovulation,” Homan said in an interview with IANS Austrailia news. “The time it takes to become pregnant is markedly increased if both partners are obese and the chance of delivering a healthy baby is also less.” Homan adds that overweight women are also at risk of pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes, miscarriage, and raised blood pressure.

The Sheffield study was conducted on 40 women whose average age was 29 and who were not ovulating normally. The women were given weight loss drugs to help them shed pounds over three months.The study participants had an average Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40. Health guidelines do not recommend IVF treatment for women with a BMI over 30.

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