Body mass and probability of pregnancy during assisted reproduction treatment: retrospective study

Being underweight or overweight has an adverse effect on reproduction.1,2 Overweight women have a higher incidence of menstrual dysfunction and anovulation, possibly because of altered secretion of pulsatile gonadotropin releasing hormone, sex hormone binding globulin, ovarian and adrenal androgen, and luteinising hormone and also because of altered insulin resistance. The prevalence of obesity in infertile women is high, but there is no conclusive evidence that extremes of weight are associated with a low rate of pregnancy in women receiving assisted reproduction treatment. This study examined whether body mass index (weight (kg)/(height (m)2)) is associated with reduced fecundity (the probability of achieving at least one pregnancy during treatment) in women receiving assisted reproduction treatment.