Hi,
i am just wondering if anyone has been told they need to lose weight before starting IVF. I am just waiting to start clomifene. And i have been told i have three months to get my bmi under 30 im currently sitting at 31. Im finding it sooo hard to lose the weight. I will be devastated if they tell me we can not be placed on the IVF list due to me being overweight.
can anyone please help.
Good morning, sorry to hear this! this happened to me I had to lose over 3st! Soo hard isn’t it. You got this 💪🏼! I think the nhs offer a voucher for SlimmingWorld voucher I would ask about it. I love SlimmingWorld. Good luck xx
I’m afraid I was too. My gp were extremely bothered my bmi was 31 for clomid but the clinic didn’t weight me and never have. I don’t know if being private is different though.
I now know I have pcos and thyroid issues so was rather cross the gp made me diet without finding out why it was so hard for me to lose the weight in the first place.
You could always push your gp for tests in the meanwhile but I completely get how frustrating and unfair this is.
Best of luck to you x
Hiya! It's horrid isn't it! But if it's nhs and funded, they really are strict! Really harsh as it's just one bmi point!!!! (but I suppose they have to draw the line somewhere!) If you go private, clinics will usually accept bmi under 35. Which means clinically surely 35 would be ok, so even more harsh!?!!?
However, sorry that's not helpful really, as they will likely be very strict. My wife needs to lose some too and is also finding it very hard. Motivation comes, and she sees it as the best motivator to be able to have kids.... But then it wanes again.
Slimming world did help before! You can do it!
I had some friends who couldn't lose it and decided to adopt.....! But if you need just 1 point I'd say go hard for the assessment!!!
I had to lose some to get my BMI down before my first cycle. For some reason it triggered some rage in me which I channelled into a “fine I’ll show you I can” attitude and I actually felt super smug when I came back for my next appointment having lost a bunch of weight and seeing my consultant’s shocked face (he’s not the nicest person!) 🤣 I know it’s hard but if you can try to reframe it in a way that feels positive for you that might help, like either accepting a challenge, or getting your body in best possibly position for successful treatment, or to learn a new hobby and make some pals (running/walking club, zumba, dance?). Wishing you all the very best! Xx
I found for my private funded cycles they weren't really bothered about my weight but I had to have a BMI of under 29 for 6 months before my GP would even apply for NHS funding, had be weighted monthly to check I was staying below 29. When I did start my NHS cycle I put on a few pounds during stims they gave me a massive lecture about it but let me carry on with treatment.
If I am not wrong, this depends on the clinic. I read other posters' stories who were accepted to undergo IVF. Two friends of mine who were in the same situation, were not accepted to start their treatment and told to lose their weight. This article says women with higher BMI might have lower success rates iyoni.app/when-planning-you... Hope this helps. Good luck
Starting IVF - round 1 
Starting first ivf this month
Starting our IVF journey 
TSH levels and starting IVF
