According to researchers from the National Institutes of Health, conceiving becomes more difficult if both of the intended parents are obese. Compared with the normal weight pairs, the obese need at least 55% more time so that their efforts are to succeed. Many other studies have shown that the weight of the mother affects the couple's fertility, but this is one of the first to take into account also the father of the weight. The discovery will affect in an important way how they deal with fertility issues, focusing particularly on the body of both partners account.
The 501 couples involved were part of the Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment (LIFE) Study, a study to examine the relationship between fertility and exposure to chemicals. The women ranged from 18 to 44 years, men aged 18 and older. All women have kept up to date until the pregnancy a diary of the cycle, intercourse and pregnancy test results. The researchers also calculated the body mass index of each participant, splitting couples obese into two groups: obese class I and class II obese, according to the severity of the disorder.
The team compared the average time to conceive couples with that of non-obese class II pairs, the most severe form of obesity. The researchers have thus calculated the probability of conception by means of a statistical measurement system, which also takes into account the body mass index. It is thus found that the couples suffering from obesity class II have a lot more trouble conceiving than those of normal weight. Those examined have in fact employed 55% of the time more than their counterparts. Not to pollute the data, the researchers also taking into account factors such as age, smoking and level of physical activity.
Until now scientists have only focused on the woman's weight. With this study, it becomes clear that even the physical condition of the father affect your chances of conceiving. It will be so good that even the aspiring dad take account of its own weight. Pregnancy is a time of joy for prospective parents. The mother must be thinking even now the baby's own health that can be monitored with prenatal screening tests
Source: eurekalert.org