Impact of Female Weight on IVF Success
The outcome of IVF treatment depends primarily on the intrinsic quality of eggs and sperm rather than the performance of an IVF clinic
Reproductive treatments cannot improve the egg and sperm quality, but patients’ close adherence to reproductive health guidelines can result in an improved capacity of eggs and sperm to result in a healthy baby.
Since IVF success depends much more on the quality of eggs than the quality of sperm, the egg quality should be optimized as much as possible before IVF treatment begins. Keeping the future mother’s weight within a normal range significantly contributes to optimizing egg quality.
Increased maternal weight can have a profound negative effect on the IVF procedure and its outcome. A healthy normal adult’s Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 18.5 and 24.9, the overweight range is 25.0 to 29.9, and obesity is 30 and above. Increased BMI can have several negative impacts on IVF treatment:
- More medication needed to stimulate the ovaries
Women with BMI over 25 typically need above average amount of medication to stimulate their ovaries for In Vitro Fertilization, yet they still may develop a suboptimal number of eggs. - Lower egg quality
High BMI disrupts glucose-insulin metabolism, which plays a crucial role in maturing and developing eggs within the ovaries. - The safety of the egg retrieval procedure
The egg retrieval procedure is done as a transvaginal egg aspiration with ultrasound guidance. With increasing BMI, the quality of ultrasound images deteriorates. For safety during the egg retrieval at Bay IVF, the patient’s weight must be no greater than a BMI of 29. - Decreased uterine receptivity
Multiple studies have shown that increased female weight can negatively affect the quality of eggs. Until recently, it has not been clear whether increased weight may also lower the receptivity of the uterus. A large study of almost 10,000 cycles of donor egg IVF showed that the probability of live birth was reduced with each BMI increase of the recipient mother. - Increased risk of baby’s heart defects
In a Swedish study of over two million births, there was a steadily increasing risk of heart defect rates in offspring (aortic branch defects, atrial septal defects, and persistent ductus arteriosus) with increasing maternal BMI. However, the study also found that exercise, whether begun by mothers at a young age or later in life, mitigated the risk of congenital heart disease in the offspring.
At Bay IVF, we strongly recommend that patients adhere to our reproductive health guidelines. They can optimize health, may improve the quality of eggs and sperm, and would result in a gradual weight loss and arriving at one’s ideal BMI.
We look forward to meeting you at Bay IVF and, when your treatment is successful, celebrating your new pregnancy!
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Hear from Our Patients’ Journey to Parenthood at Bay IVF!
I would highly recommend Bay IVF for those wanting to build their family and needing IVF support! Dr. Polansky and the whole Bay IVF team were so supportive and welcoming while also honest and realistic. Our girl is our dream come true!
Jennifer C.-F.This clinic has been amazing to work with. All the nurses and staff made sure I was always comfortable and were there to answer questions any time I needed. We are incredibly grateful to Dr. Polansky and the team for everything they did for us.
Harpreet K.Words could never express the gratitude my husband and I will always have for Bay IVF! We did our research and decided to check out Bay IVF. We scheduled a consultation and felt an instant connection… love at first sight!
Chelsea L.
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Meet Your Doctor
- Dr. Polansky received his medical diploma from Charles University in Prague, the Czech Republic, in 1978.
- After completing his OB/GYN residency at Jewish Hospital in Saint Louis, MO, he graduated from the Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) fellowship at Stanford University in 1985.
- In the same year, he co-founded the Stanford IVF Clinic.
- Dr. Polansky obtained board certification in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1986 and became REI subspecialty board certified in 1988.
- In 1987, he left Stanford University and established Nova IVF.
- In 2011, he founded Bay IVF, where he provides advanced fertility treatments with a holistic approach, utilizing state-of-the-art techniques.
- Dr. Polansky personally performs ultrasound examinations, egg retrievals, embryo transfers, and ovarian and endometrial stimulations for his patients.
- He is deeply committed to his patients and freely shares his cell phone number, ensuring accessibility and availability 24/7.
Frank Polansky, M.D.
Dr. Polansky’s Communication With Patients
Real texts, anonymous patient names
Initial Appointment Questions
When you call to schedule your consultation, Erica will ask you a short series of questions regarding your reproductive history.
- Your name
- Your date of birth
- Your height
- Your weight
- Do you know which treatment you plan to have?
- How many times have you been pregnant?
- For each of your pregnancies, what was the conception date? (month and year)
- What was the outcome?
- Were the pregnancies with your current partner?
- If known, what is the cause of your infertility?
- What is your average cycle length? (number of days between onsets of your periods)
- Are you currently taking any medications? If yes, which ones?
- Are you allergic to any medications? If yes, which ones?
- Your partner’s name (if applicable)
- Your partner’s date of birth (if applicable)
- What is the length of your relationship with your current partner? (years and months)
- When was the last time either of you used any contraception?
- Is the male partner currently taking any medications? If yes, which ones?
- Is the male partner allergic to any medications? If yes, which ones?
- What is the total number of pregnancies the male partner has ever caused?
- Has the male partner ever caused a pregnancy without the ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) procedure?
- Has the male partner had a vasectomy or vasectomy reversal?
- If available, for each Semen Analysis, please give the date (day, month, and year), volume, concentration (sperm count), percentage of motile sperm, and percentage of morphologically normal sperm.
- Have you ever had any treatment for, or problems with, your lungs, heart, blood and blood vessels, breasts, digestive system, genito-urinary system, thyroid disease, diabetes, or neurological disorder? (female partner only)
- For each X-ray of your uterus and Fallopian tubes (hysterosalpingogram), laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, or laparotomy, please give the procedure date (day, month, and year) and the findings.
- If available, for each FSH, LH, estradiol (estrogen, E2), and AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormone) test you have had, please give the date of the test (day, month, and year) and the result.
- Have you done any intrauterine inseminations (IUI)? If yes, how many?
- Have you had ovarian stimulation with injectable medications?
- For each IVF treatment you have had, please provide the following information if available: Date (month and year), the dose of medications to stimulate your ovaries, your highest estrogen level, number of ovarian follicles that developed, number of eggs retrieved, whether ICSI was done, number of embryos available, number of embryos transferred, number of embryos frozen, and the treatment outcome.
- Have you ever smoked cigarettes? If yes, how many cigarettes a day during the last three months? (Please remember that you must not smoke during your treatment.)
This is Erica
She will be providing you with exceptional support throughout your treatment journey at Bay IVF.
Patients’ Thank You Cards
Your Initial Visit at Bay IVF
Attending a new patient appointment at a fertility clinic can be stressful. Our primary objective is to ensure that your initial visit is friendly and relaxing. We encourage you to ask questions at every step of the process.
1 — When You Arrive
You will be welcomed by one of the clinic receptionists. One of our nurses will measure your height and weight and take your blood pressure
2 — Meet Your Doctor
Dr. Polansky will ask you a series of clarifying questions and then provide you with a summary of the factors contributing to your infertility
4 — Exam Room
One of the nurses will escort you to an examination room. Your examination will begin with listening to your lungs and heart
3 — Ask Your Questions
You will then have a discussion with him about the most suitable reproductive treatment(s) for you. During this time, you will have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have
5 — Ultrasound of the Ovaries
The next step is a pelvic ultrasound to examine the uterus and ovaries. This ultrasound will help determine the number of antral follicles present within the ovaries
6 — Financial Part
Following that, you will have a discussion with one of the financial advisors regarding the financial aspects of your treatment, including potential treatment financing options
8 — Support 24/7
If you have any questions after leaving the clinic, please feel free to reach out to us via phone call, text, or email. Open and discreet communication is an integral part of the care we provide at Bay IVF
7 — What About Time?
Your entire visit is expected to last approximately one hour
Schedule Your Initial Consultation With Dr. Polansky
Online or In-Person
You can also complete the form below to request your initial consultation
Still Have Questions?
We know this is a big decision. It is important for us that you feel really comfortable.