Does Being Underweight Influence IVF Outcomes?
Not much -- a study of nearly 20,000 women found underweight women undergoing IVF had the same live birth rate and no increased miscarriage risk compared to normal-weight women, suggesting IVF can largely bypass the ovulation problems that come with being significantly underweight.
No one loves talking about weight, and most conversations about weight and fertility focus on being overweight. But a complete loss of ovulation is also common in women who are significantly underweight.
What about IVF specifically?
A study looked at IVF success rates in underweight women -- can they get pregnant via IVF just as well as women at a "normal" weight? Researchers looked at nearly 20,000 women and found that IVF can largely sidestep the fertility challenges that come with being underweight: underweight women undergoing IVF had the same live birth rate as normal-weight women, with no increased miscarriage risk either.
An important distinction
If you have an eating disorder such as anorexia, please seek help from a medical professional before trying to conceive -- under-nutrition specifically (which isn't the same thing as simply being underweight) is linked to poor outcomes like preterm labor.
Reference
Xiong et al. (2020). Fertility & Sterility, 113(2), 334–353.e2.
Common questions
Does this mean being underweight doesn't matter for fertility at all?
No -- being significantly underweight is still linked to a complete loss of ovulation in natural cycles. This study specifically found IVF can work around that particular issue, not that weight is irrelevant.
Is this the same as having an eating disorder?
No -- being underweight and having an eating disorder like anorexia aren't the same thing. If you have an eating disorder, please seek help from a medical professional before trying to conceive, since under-nutrition specifically is linked to poor outcomes like preterm labor.