Obesity is rising across the country, mainly among women in their reproductive years. Busy schedules, lack of physical activity, high stress levels, and unhealthy eating habits are the causes behind obesity. Experts emphasise that weight control and healthy lifestyle practices must become central to fertility care.

Couples affected by obesity can still become parents through lifestyle modifications, if that doesn’t work, then Intrauterine Insemination (IUI). And if that doesn’t work then advanced fertility treatments such as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) can be taken up.

Obesity has become one of the most common health challenges, and it often shows up when women come for fertility or reproductive health issues. Dr. Kaishreen Khan, consultant- Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Motherhood Hospitals, Kharadi, Pune, explains, “Around 60–70 per cent of the women who visit me have obesity-related concerns. So, it is 6-7 women in the 10 aged 25 to 35 years. When it comes to couples, around 10–12 couples every day come with obesity-related issues, and this number is steadily rising. In women, excess fat leads to hormonal imbalance with higher insulin and estrogen levels, which disrupts ovulation and menstrual cycles. Obesity in women is strongly linked to infertility, with conditions like PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) causing irregular periods and difficulty in egg release. It also worsens complications such as diabetes (DM), hypothyroidism, and hypertension (HTN), risk of miscarriages, and preeclampsia, all of which directly affect fertility and pregnancy outcomes. Even assisted reproduction outcomes are affected, as obese women tend to have lower egg retrieval rates, poorer embryo quality, and reduced IVF success. Additionally, excess weight gain can worsen varicoceles- swollen testicular veins, further reducing fertility potential.