Being underweight can cause a number of health problems, including infertility. Being underweight can cause problems with the monthly ovulation cycle. Once problems arise with the ovulation cycle, it can be hard to become pregnant. It is necessary for a woman to have a certain amount of body fat to have regular menstrual cycles and to achieve pregnancy. Infertility can affect women who have eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia. These are some of the problems a person may suffer from when she is underweight.
Menstrual Abnormalities
Being underweight can cause a number of different menstrual problems. Many women will experience no menstrual cycle or periods on an irregular basis. This is due to abnormal hormonal levels, which will lead to problems with ovulation. When you are trying to conceive a child, it is important to know when you are ovulating. If you have irregular or no periods this can be extremely difficult. Also, when you suffer with eating disorders, ovulation can just stop. You may not even know that you are not ovulating. This can also take quite a while to get corrected, especially if you are unaware of the problem.
Treatment for Menstrual Abnormalities
If you are underweight and are unable to gain the weight needed to get your menstrual cycle back to normal, there are treatment options available. There are drugs that can help with ovulation and menstruation. These medications need to be prescribed by a doctor, and you should be monitored during the treatment process.
Nutrional Counseling
Depending on how underweight you are, there are programs to help you to gain weight in a healthy manner. Your doctor may suggest this to be your first option. You will see a nutritional counselor to help you get on the right tract to eating healthy foods and a healthy number of calories to help gain weight. You can meet with the counselor on a weekly basis to help keep you on tract. There are many health benefits to maintaining a healthy weight. When you do become pregnant, your chances of having a healthy baby are greatly increased. You will also feel better and you may also have a better pregnancy because of maintaining a healthy weight.
If you do become pregnant while being underweight, there are more risks involved. These risks include giving birth to an underweight baby or the baby may be under-developed due to the fact that he did not receive all of the nutrients he needed to grow and be healthy. These are things to think about when trying to conceive a child while you are underweight. Every mother wants what is best for her baby and that starts with you being healthy.
If you are underweight and are trying to conceive a child, talk to your doctor about what you should do to have a happy and healthy baby and pregnancy. Your doctor is there to help you.
