How to get treatment with higher BMI

[Wannabemama]

Does anyone know if it’s possible to get fertility treatment with a higher BMI. I’m sick of constantly being dismissed. Any information for treating in the UK or Channel Islands would be a big help

[JA-fnuk Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

If mentioning private clinics please use PM Thank you

Janet

[Boo718]

Hi, I totally hear you. I lost 5 stone getting from 16 to 11 but my bmi was still too high so they wouldn’t take me. I’ve had to go private abroad… turns out losing all the weight was a bad idea as it’s messed up all my hormones and caused even more problems 🤦‍♀️

[Bella_Bee in reply to Boo718]

What??? Who didn't take you on weighing 66kg?????? 😨 I'm so sorry, that's so shit.

[Boo718 in reply to Bella_Bee]

Nhs. I’m just 5ft so the bmi was to high. It was an absolute nightmare xxx

[Bella_Bee]

Not on the NHS no.. it's one of their main criteria. Sorry. But my private clinic didn't even weigh me. Or maybe they did but it just never even came up in conversation. I am 5'10", a size 16 with a then BMI of 29 on a good day and 30 on a bad. BMI is such bullshit anyway... If you do try to lose weight though, I can thoroughly recommend intermittent fasting for healthy faster weight loss. It may have even helped with egg quality. Good luck.

[Pupster83]

I would agree with others and say yes, if you pay. We went private for our first round while we waited to get on the nhs list and the private clinic would have taken anyone with a BMI of below 40. We then moved to the NHS and I lost 3 stone to make sure I was under a BMI of 30. I’m 5’10” and had gone from a 16 to a 20 over a number of years so for me it was the kick in the butt I needed to really shift the pounds and actually I feel much better for it but I do think it is very unfair that it’s how you are judged for whether you should be allowed treatment. With covid I have had almost a year between each of my 3 NHS rounds of treatment and each time I put weight back on and had to make sure I was back well under the 30 before the initial weigh in which is definitely an added stress. I used Michael Mosely’s blood sugar diet…brutal but effective and he does say it is supposedly good for helping improve fertility. I also read It starts with the egg and the diet they recommend for improving fertility is a Mediterranean diet which is very similar to many aspects of the blood sugar diet. From my point of view it was worth the effort as I’m now finally 14 weeks pregnant after our last free NHS round of treatment. Good luck.

[Papillonblue]

I’ve done two private rounds and am now desperately trying to loose weight for an NHS round. Frustratingly I can’t pay for more private treatment while loosing weight as that would then disqualifies us too. Feels like a race against time