Extreme dieting reduces IVF success

Obesity can reduce a woman’s chances of conceiving, either naturally or through IVF, but extreme dieting, or fasting, can hinder the odds just as much.

If overweight, the key to IVF success is sensible weight loss, Irish nutritionist Dr Ciara Wright told an international medical conference on assisted reproduction in Egypt last week.

Wright, the only Irish speaker among 150 international delegates, said that while being overweight or obese increased the risk of failed IVF cycles and miscarriage, losing weight too quickly brought a new range of problems.