Lose the fat before getting pregnant

MANILA, Philippines - It’s a fat fetus,” certain women deadpan when someone points out their protruding midsections. They may be embarrassed or offended about being overweight, but they feign nonchalance and laugh about it during awkward situations when their attention is called to the fact. Definitely, being overweight should not be a laughing matter for women wanting to conceive, however.  Obesity results in hormonal changes that affect fertility and hinder pregnancy. Moreover, obesity during pregnancy can result in complications that can be dangerous — even life threatening — for both mother and child.

“Every 0.1 unit increase in the waist-to-hip ratio of women decreases the probability of conception by 30 percent during each menstrual cycle,” confirms obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Angel Bandola of the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital and St. Luke’s Medical Center. “Obesity results in an imbalance of hormones and this leads to problems in ovulation, fertilization and implantation.”  She explains that women who are overweight are at a higher risk for PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), a condition where numerous small cysts grow in the ovaries. And while the cysts are not harmful, they may cause hormonal changes that may stop ovulation.

“We all know about the complications that come with obesity such as hypertension and diabetes,” continues Dr. Bandola. “But we should also be aware of the impact of obesity on reproductive health.”  Normally, the ovaries make a small amount of androgens or male sex hormones.   But with PCOS, the ovaries make more male hormones so that a woman can experience irregular periods, heavy bleeding, or can stop ovulating altogether. While it is true that women can choose medical procedures like in vitro fertilization (IVF) to get pregnant, the risk of unsuccessful IVF increases in direct proportion to increased Body Mass Index (BMI.)  

Likewise, there are other dangerous health complications to consider. Apart from an increased risk of gestational diabetes (diabetes that develops during pregnancy) and preeclampsia (high blood pressure and protein in the urine after 20 weeks of pregnancy,) obese pregnant women are more prone to thrombosis, a serious condition when a blood clot is formed inside a vessel. There is also an increased risk of urinary tract infections during the duration of pregnancy and postpartum infections, whether they deliver their babies naturally or by Caesarian section, because healing is delayed. Just as disturbingly, obesity increases the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth.

Certainly, severely overweight women should seriously consider getting into a better state of health by losing excess pounds before contemplating pregnancy.   But how does one lose weight effectively?

The Cohen program is currently one of the more popular alternatives for fast and safe weight loss. Named after Dr. Rami Cohen, who is known for his research on hormones involved in obesity and weight loss, the program hinges on the idea of “food as medicine.” By creating individualized eating plans and customized diets for patients based on their unique blood profiles, the body is encouraged to burn fat so that excess weight can be shed. No pills, no injections, no machines or invasive procedures are required.

At a lecture linking obesity to infertility, we learned that our speaker, Dr. Angela Bandola, was one of those women who once worried about pre-diabetes, infertility, and PCOS.  She got pregnant after losing 110 lbs. in 13 months and maintaining her weight for two years with the Cohen program. Her daughter Amanda will be two years old in July this year.

We also met other “Cohen mommies” or women who got pregnant after trimming down, like Imelda Acedera who lost 32 lbs. in four months and got pregnant eight years after her third child. 

Love del Rosario, too, shared that she was obese and diagnosed with PCOS so that she had to go to two infertility specialists to get pregnant with her eldest child. “The fertility treatments were expensive and I seemed to gain even more weight as my hormones went out of whack. I had to take a leave from work and stay home because I had gestational hypertension. There were times when I had to be brought to the hospital emergency room because we were so afraid of losing our baby,”she relates.

After giving birth, Love gained even more weight so that John Paul (JP), her husband, suggested that she consider the Cohen Lifestyle program. “I was concerned about her health but at first there was some drama. She was very emotional because she had it in her mind I no longer found her desirable,” JP del Rosario recalls.  He didn’t nag her to lose weight but was determined to convince her to adopt healthier habits. “I tiptoed around the issue. I couldn’t say it directly or often enough, but I was persistent in reassuring her that my main concern was her health.”  He advises husbands or boyfriends to be patient with their partners and reward any effort to be healthier with non-food treats like spa treatments, trips, even bowling games. Soon enough Love came around and agreed to try the Cohen program. “The turning point was when we went to Universal Studios in Singapore and I got very tired. I realized that in a few years, our child Elijah would be running around and will want to go to theme parks. I have to be fit to keep up with him. ”

After losing 58 lbs. in less than six months through Cohen’s Lifestyle Center, Love del Rosario’s menstrual cycle was regularized and her health issues were resolved.  She and JP were also blessed with their next child. But because she was more fit, the pregnancy was uncomplicated and childbirth was easier the second time around.