Am I In The Ideal Weight To Get Pregnant? Interesting Facts On Fertility!

The is no such thing as being an ideal weight, but being a healthy weight can certainly help to conceive without any complications. Being overweight or underweight in both women and men can reduce or delay the chances of conceiving. 

Am I In The Ideal Weight To Get Pregnant?

Weight plays a key role in the production of the hormone in the body, being over or underweight can disrupt the production of hormones which can, in turn, affect the menstrual cycle and the quality of the egg.  In the case of men, being overweight can reduce the quality of the sperm and also cause erection issues. Both men and women may suffer from low sex drive too.

How to tell if you are in a healthy weight?

One of the easiest and effective ways to measure if you fall under a  healthy weight range or not is through a method known as the Body Mass Index or BMI(1). To get an approximate value you can use the BMI calculation available online. All you need do is enter your current height and weight.

• If your BMI falls any were between 18.5 and 24.9 you are considered to be a ‘healthy weight’.
• If your BMI is between 25 and 29.9 then you fall under the category ‘overweight’.
• If your BMI falls below 18.5, then you are considered to be “underweight”.
• Any BMI value over 30 is considered ‘obese’.

Therefore based on these values you could easily calculate the ideal weight to get pregnant. For example,

• Ideal weight for 5’2 female to get pregnant would be between 101-136 lbs
• Ideal weight for 5’3 female to get pregnant would be between 95-127 lbs
• Ideal weight for 5’7 female to get pregnant  would be between 118-159 lbs

 Similarly, you can calculate your ideal weight for your height using the BMI calculator.

How much weight should I gain during pregnancy?

The amount of weight one needs to gain during your pregnancy would differ from person to person, it includes factors such as  your pre-pregnancy weight, how many babies you are having (single, twins, multiple, etc), your BMI and yours as well as the baby’s overall health

Myths on eating during pregnancy

Most people use pregnancy to use as an excuse to eat all kinds of unhealthy food but did you know the whole concept of just indulging in food during pregnancy might actually hard your bod as well as the health of the baby. 

What one eats as well as the quantity is important more than ever when you are pregnant. The amount of weight the mother gains is very important for the overall health of the baby and the mother.  One of the best ways to now that you are on track is to work closely with your doctor and keep a pregnancy weight gain target.

Gaining too much weight as well as not gaining weight can both be critical to a baby’s physical as well as mental growth and development. Gaining oo much weight also creates complications during as well as after delivery as shedding those extra pounds cannot be easy.

So many people misunderstand the term “eating for two”(2), this doesn’t actually mean you should have twice the amount of food you usually have. If you are not underweight during pregnancy all you have to do is make sure you get all the important nutrients and vitamins your body needs and consume about just 300 calories extra a day. As a mother to be having a well-balanced diet is very important, including dairy, protein, fruits, veggies, and whole grains in your everyday diet. That would do the job.

Some interesting facts on fertility and weight 

• Having a healthy lifestyle with regular diet and exercise can improve the chance of the mother giving birth to a healthy baby.
• Calculating the rates of obesity, we could come to the conclusion that our generation weighs more then our grandparents or parents did when they were our age.
• Being a healthy weight can increase the chance of having a healthy delivery with minimal complications.
• Being obese subject women to a higher risk of(3) :
  • Infection
  • Miscarriage
  • High blood pressure
  • Premature birth
  • Stillbirth
  • Induced labor
  • Diabetes
  • Pre-eclampsia(4)
  • Surgical birth
  • larger in size than normal at birth
  • intensive care required after delivery
  • Birth defect
  • The risk of becoming obese in later stages of life

I hope the above article, “Am I The Ideal Weight To Get Pregnant? Shed some light on your weight and pregnancy questions. Apart from all the above a mother also needs to take care of herself and enjoy the time. Pregnancy can be stressful for some but it important to understand it and keep your self motivated and positive. For more, pregnancy-related doubts and queries write to us in the comments box below.

Have a healthy and happy pregnancy!

RESOURCE:

1. website managed by the Office on Women’s Health.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d).Weight, fertility, and pregnancy.[online] Available at:https://www.womenshealth.gov/healthy-weight/weight-fertility-and-pregnancy
2. CBS Interactive Inc. (2019).Get To A Healthy Weight Before Pregnancy.[online] Available at:https://www.cbsnews.com/news/get-to-a-healthy-weight-before-pregnancy-28-05-2009/
3. Fertility Coalition. (2018).Understanding how to improve your chance of having a baby.[online] Available at:https://www.yourfertility.org.au/everyone/weight
4.  Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). (1998-2019).Pre-eclampsia.[online] Available at:https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/preeclampsia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355745