Around one in five women of childbearing age are living with obesity, defined by the World Health Organization as having a body mass index (BMI) over 30 kg/m². Compared with women in the healthy BMI range (18.5–24.9 kg/m²), those living with obesity are three times more likely to experience fertility problems and nearly twice as likely to have a miscarriage. Many turn to in vitro fertilisation (IVF) in the hope of having a baby.
Women with obesity who are planning a pregnancy are already advised that losing weight can improve their chances of conceiving. Our research suggests that structured weight loss support may also improve outcomes for those seeking IVF.
