Weight Problems and Infertility
We all know the importance of maintaining a healthy weight for our body size and shape. After all, maintaining a healthy weight can help us to keep our heart pumping, our blood pressure regulated, and our bones and joints pain free. But weight also plays a significant role in fertility. Our body needs to be of the right weight in order to produce the appropriate amount of hormones to regulate ovulation, menstruation, or sperm production. If we are Obesity.shtml">overweight or underweight, our body can start to experience problems with these natural fertility cycles, impacting your ability to become pregnant. In fact, more than 12% of all infertility patients suffer from weight-related infertility. Gaining or losing weight can often help correct these problems.

Female Fertility and Weight Issues
Female fertility is particularly affected by weight issues. This is because body fat is directly related to the amount of estrogen your body secretes. If you don't have the right amount of Hyperlipemia.shtml">body fat, your body could produce too much or too little estrogen, interfering with ovulation and menstruation.

Male Fertility and Weight Issues
Male fertility can also be affected by weight issues. Men who are overweight appear to be at risk for low sperm count and motility problems. This is because extra layers of body fat can surround the testicles, raising their temperature above 96 degrees. Even this slight increase in temperature can cause sperm to die or it could result in lowered spem production. Men who are underweight are also at risk for fertility issues. Men who over exercise could also increase the temperature of their testicles, killing their sperm. Men who are underweight also tend to have lower sperm counts and poor motility and morphology.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight
If you are worried that your weight may be impacting upon your fertility, it is important to speak with your health care provider or your reproductive endocrinologist. She can help to determine if weight is playing a role in your fertility issues. Here are some tips to help you to maintain a healthy weight when you are trying to conceive.

Exercise regularly. Try to exercise thirty minutes and day, three times a week. Don't over exercise though, as this can contribute to further fertility problems.

Watch your diet. Maintain a healthy balance of all of the food groups and be sure you are getting enough calories for your body size and shape. Feel free to indulge now and again, just don't do it all of the time.

Drink lots of water. Water will help you to stay hydrated and balance your weight.
Get counseling if you are suffering from an eating disorder.