88 Views Posted on 22-Nov-2011 under Health

Anorexia nervosa is a severe form of eating disorder that makes people lose more weight than is considered healthy for their age and height.

According to women’s health experts, several gynecological disorders have been related to body size, as such when eating disorders are not addressed as often as possible, they may result in infertility.

Medical research has revealed that higher risks of infertility have been found in both overweight and underweight women.

Dr. Michael McCarthy, CEO and an Obstetrician Gynecologist at the Sinel Specialist Hospital in Tema told Citi News in an interview that being excessively underweight may increase the risk of amenorrhea (cessation of menstruation).

He said “women need to have a certain amount of body fat in order to menstruate and to conceive because low weight and weight loss is associated with ovulatory dysfunction.

According to Dr. McCarthy, many anorexic women either never get their periods or their periods stop due to extreme weight loss.

Amenorrhea can be permanent depending on how long a woman has been suffering from anorexia.
He however added that in most women, menstruation will start up when they begin to gain weight.

That is to say most anorexic women who successfully treat their eating disorders will regain their ability to conceive.

He adds that weight gain programs in underweight women are able to restore ovulation and pregnancy in up to 73% of women who were able to achieve 95% of their ideal body weight.

Explaining further, Dr. McCarthy said when a woman's body fat falls below a certain minimum level, her body does not produce the right levels of hormones necessary to stimulate ovulation.

Rapid weight loss and undernourishment leads a woman's body into a state of emergency and she will not menstruate if she is just barely surviving.

On the other hand, Dr. McCarthy told Citi News, that obesity also has an association with infertility and menstrual irregularities.

Dr. McCarthy said that women who are overweight are more likely to have hormonal problems which can lead to infertility. Again, treatment programs that assist over weight women with diet and exercise plans can also restore fertility in many patients, he added.

He therefore advised women to maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI) for a good general well being as well as healthy ovulation and increased chances of getting pregnant.

Dr. McCarthy touched on a number of other factors that may also affect the reproductive system and put women at higher risk of infertility:

Age: Usually after age 34, the quality and quantity of a woman's eggs begin to decline making conception quite difficult.

Risks of miscarriage or having a child with chromosomal abnormalities are also likely to increase when the mother have her first child at age 35+.

Smoking: Excessive smoking can damage the cervix, fallopian tubes and ovaries. It can also deplete eggs prematurely thereby decreasing a woman’s chances of getting pregnant.

Alcohol: Heavy drinking can increase the risk of endometriosis and ovulation disorders.

Caffeine: More than 6 cups of coffee a day may decrease fertility in women.

Sexual history: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as Chlamydia and Gonorrhea are known to cause damage to the fallopian tubes which carry eggs to the uterus. This decreases the chances of implantation and pregnancy.



Source: Vera Asokwa Ofori/Citifmonline