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Weight

considerations for assisted conception treatment If a woman is overweight the success of assisted conception is reduced so she should take her BMI into account. This is a very sensible measure for a number of reasons:

• women who are very overweight have reduced fertility

• losing weight can increase fertility

• carrying out assisted conception treatment is technically difficult for women who are very overweight

• the success rate is substantially lower. Women with a BMI greater than 30 have a 30 per cent lower success rate with IVF

particular situation and needs, however, and you should discuss this with your doctor, who is able to give you the specific advice required. If you are having a normal vaginal delivery and the baby is large, the doctors and midwives watch for shoulder dystocia, in which the size of the baby’s shoulders can cause difficulty in delivery.

After delivery, an overweight mother is also likely to need treatment to prevent blood clots, often with injections of heparin under the skin, especially if the baby was delivered by Caesarean section. Women who are overweight are more likely to get infections, such as an infection in their caesarean section wound or a urinary tract infection, which is usually associated with pain on passing urine.

While breastfeeding is being established, it is best to avoid dieting as this can affect your milk production. However, once feeding is established, you can lose up to 2 kg (4½ lb) each month.