Your weight can have a profound impact on your fertility. There was a time that obesity as a health problem was more common in Western societies, but it is rapidly becoming increasingly prevalent in other parts of the world, including developing countries. Today it is estimated that 30-50 percent of the global population is obese while eating disorders are also much more common.  Nigeria has not been left behind in this adverse development.

It is established that men and women who are either under or over their ideal weight have higher risk of experiencing infertility. If your body mass index (BMI) is less or greater than your desired weight, you are quite likely to experience fertility problems. The BMI, is an index of a person’s relative “slimness or fatness”. It factors in a person’s weight as well as their height to give an overall “index”. Essentially, the BMI is the Routine measure used to assess whether a person is under or over the desired weight. Being under or over the desired weight can disrupt the hormonal balance that is necessary for normal egg and sperm production.

A high BMI indicates obesity. A standard medical definition of “normal” body weight is a BMI of about 18.5-24.9. Below this range (18.5-24.9) is underweight while above it (25.0-29.9) signifies overweight, a BMI over 30 signifies obesity. Obesity today is the twin problem of a rise to sedentary lifestyles and a lack of education. Generally, obesity is defined as weighing more than 20 percent above the expected weight in relation to your age, height and body build. So now comes the most important question? How does excess weight and obesity affect fertility?