Yes, you can often get IVF while obese, but many clinics set BMI limits (commonly around 30-35 for NHS-funded treatment, sometimes higher for private) due to increased health risks and lower success rates, meaning some providers may require weight loss first for better outcomes, though policies vary widely and some consider these limits discriminatory. A higher BMI can reduce egg quality, implantation, and live birth rates, while increasing risks like miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, and gestational diabetes, making weight management beneficial for fertility, according to research.
Obesity is associated with poorer egg quality, lower embryo implantation rates, and higher miscarriage risks. Women with BMI under 30 had significantly higher IVF success rates in our clinic's data review.
Private clinics may offer more flexibility, but many still recommend weight loss for those with a BMI over 35 before starting treatment. By addressing weight issues and striving for a healthier BMI, you can improve your fertility and overall health, making your IVF journey safer and more successful.
If your BMI is more than 30 and less than 35, it is advised that you lose weight. You should aim to reach a BMI of 29.5 to be eligible for NHS fertility treatment. If your BMI is more than 35, then treatment cannot be offered unless the above criteria is fulfilled.
Who is not a good candidate for IVF? In vitro fertilization may not work for everyone. Conditions that may interfere with IVF success include fibroid tumors, ovarian dysfunction, abnormal hormone levels, and uterine abnormalities. Women with these issues may face lower rates of pregnancy with IVF.
Jennifer Aniston underwent IVF treatments throughout her late 30s and 40s, a challenging period where she tried everything to conceive, eventually continuing into her early 50s, ultimately deciding to share her private fertility struggle years later in an interview with Allure.
Isha Ambani used IVF to conceive her twins, Aadiya Shakti and Krishna, because she and her husband faced difficulties conceiving naturally, and she openly shared her journey to help normalize IVF and reduce the stigma, highlighting it as a modern, positive way to build a family, just as her own mother, Nita Ambani, had done for her and her brother Akash. She emphasized that there's nothing to feel ashamed of and that IVF offers a chance for parenthood, mirroring her mother's experience with fertility struggles.
This is why many clinics have a BMI “cut-off” (typically BMI ≥40) above which they cannot offer sedation during an egg retrieval. In these cases, less effective oral sedation techniques or supervision of anesthesia by an anesthesiologist is needed, which is not routinley available in a fertility clinic setting.
To be eligible for Kind iVF, you must be 36 years or less, with a BMI of 30 or less and a good ovarian reserve within our specific range. If you have previously undergone an IVF cycle, please note the outcome of that cycle can indicate your suitability for treatment with Kind iVF.
To be eligible for NHS funded IVF in England, most ICBs require an individual seeking fertility treatment to have a BMI of between 19 and 30. However, we recommend that you refer to your ICB's full funding policy for the most up to date and complete information on access criteria.
A healthy diet for IVF
One of the best ways to maintain a healthy diet before you start your IVF treatment is to take control of your cooking. Wherever possible, cook your meals from scratch using fresh whole foods and cut out the packaged and processed foods, which can be high in salt, fats and added sugars.
But the most difficult part of IVF is the 10 – 14 days waiting period between transfer of embryo and waiting for the pregnancy test result. In IVF, the women are given various hormonal injections to stimulate her ovaries to release more eggs instead of just one egg which is released during the normal menstrual cycle.
The normal range (a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9) is the sweet spot for getting pregnant, as far as body weight is concerned. A study from 2022 looked at fertility ranges based on BMI.
IVF referral requires a BMI <30. To receive ovulation induction treatment, you need a BMI <35 (treatment is far less effective at higher weights). You also significantly reduce your risk of complications in pregnancy by being a healthy weight (BMI 19-24.9).
Aniston revealed to Bazaar that, amid her romance and subsequent divorce from Brad Pitt and while magazine stands were full of rumors about her supposed lack of desire for children, she was privately going through in-vitro fertilization, or IVF therapy, which did not turn out to be successful.
If you are overweight or obese:
Being overweight may not increase your risk of having problems with ovulation, but obesity (BMI greater than 30) increases the risk of having abnormal ovulation and menstrual cycles. Obesity makes it more likely that it will take longer for you to get pregnant.
Yes. If you are obese or morbidly obese, this can have a negative impact on your fertility due to changes in hormone levels. This can affect the health and viability of the eggs and can also lead to issues with the health of the uterine lining.
Many fertility treatment providers, including the NHS, require patients to have a body mass index within an optimal range of 19 – 30 before beginning IVF treatment. Some providers have a more limited BMI range, from 19 – 25. If you are unsure, it is best to consult your provider directly.
Most clinics in the U.S. exclude women with a high BMI from accessing IVF because of concerns that the procedure may be too medically risky, and that IVF treatment will be less effective in higher weight individuals. The cut-offs are not consistent across clinics but broadly can be between 35 and 45.
Overweight and obese women are at a high risk for reproductive health. The risk of subfecundity and infertility, conception rates, miscarriage rates, and pregnancy complications are increased in these women. They have poor reproductive outcomes in natural as well as assisted conception.
The ideal BMI for getting pregnant is between 18.5 and 24.9. This is known as the healthy range. If you have a high BMI, bringing it closer to the healthy range before trying for a baby will help you get pregnant and reduce the risk of pregnancy complications.
Bollywood's own Deepika Padukone is a beautiful example. She faced IVF struggles, failures, and today she's blessed with a baby.
A round of IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) costs anywhere from $12,000 to over $25,000 USD or more, depending heavily on location (US vs. Australia), clinic, included services (like ICSI, genetic testing), medications, and insurance coverage, with out-of-pocket expenses often ranging from $4,000 to $8,000+ after rebates in countries like Australia. Costs vary significantly, with potential extras like preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) adding thousands more.
While there are caveats for most religions, IVF and IUI are largely opposed only by the Catholic church, surrogacy is not permissible in the LDS Church, Catholic Church, and Islam, and vasectomy is not permissible for the Catholic Church, LDS Church, Judaism, and Islam.