Plus size & TTC through IUI & donor sperm

sviera

I am feeling pretty alone right now as a plus size woman and TTC through IUI. I have been working on my weight and even lost about 13 pounds in the last 2 months. I started my first round of Clomid today and am feeling scared, fat, and wondering if my size (5'7, 244pounds) if just going to make it impossible for me.

geeeegers

This is my first post ever on this board and I had to reply! I am in the exact same boat as you. I am also plus sized and using IUI. I had my first IUI on May 3rd... so I am waiting for my period to start any day now (I'm pretty sure it didn't work, but who knows!)... and then I will start clomid.

 

I bought a really great book on my kindle- Big, Beautiful, & Pregnant by Cornella Van Der Zeil and Jaquline Tourville. It has reallt helped me understand how to have a healthy pregnancy, even if I am not at my ideal weight.

 

Good luck to you!

sviera

Thanks so much! That really made me feel better!

Valleybugt

Well as a plus size mama...who conceived on the 2nd try, I'd say don't stress.  We did it the ol' fashion way...you know w/ a turkey baster...well not exactly but you get the picture.  5 Ft 5 in and 240 when I conceived.  Down to 220 now.

Kershnic

sviera:

I am feeling pretty alone right now as a plus size woman and TTC through IUI. I have been working on my weight and even lost about 13 pounds in the last 2 months. I started my first round of Clomid today and am feeling scared, fat, and wondering if my size (5'7, 244pounds) if just going to make it impossible for me.

I'm a bit confused about what you are worried about, maybe you could say more?  Being overweight can certainly be related to some fertility issues and overall health including during pregnancy....but there's very little about your TTC method that makes a difference that has anything to do with your weight (if anything your TTC method directly addresses some of the issues, since it includes Clomid).  There are lots and lots of plus-size pregnant and and new parent moms in the world.  Unless you have other medical problems there's no reason to think you won't be able to join them.

We're not actively TTC yet (but I like this board a lot, and my typical MO is to obsessively plan and research things before I do them), but I am a plus-size woman and will still be a plus-size woman when I TTC.  I am trying to make myself work on losing some weight while we're getting things in place to start, but when the time is right I will not hesitate to start trying no matter what I weigh. 

ctbride08

Fertility can be affected by obesity, but not necessarily. 

I'm plus sized and wasn't able to concieve after 3 cycles of IUI + clomid.  Its certainly in the back of my mind that maybe if I was smaller, I would have been able to get pregnant during that time.  But then again, perfectly healthy fertile women need longer than that to get pregnant using frozen donor sperm (or any kind, really).  A good friend of mine is almost exactly your stats and she concieved her beautiful baby girl on her first unmedicated IUI. 

While any medical professional would tell you that its ideal to be at a healthy weight while TTCing, you still have every chance of concieving quickly and having a healthy pregnancy. 

good luck!

2brides

ctbride08:

Fertility can be affected by obesity, but not necessarily. 

I'm plus sized and wasn't able to concieve after 3 cycles of IUI + clomid.  Its certainly in the back of my mind that maybe if I was smaller, I would have been able to get pregnant during that time.  But then again, perfectly healthy fertile women need longer than that to get pregnant using frozen donor sperm (or any kind, really).  A good friend of mine is almost exactly your stats and she concieved her beautiful baby girl on her first unmedicated IUI. 

While any medical professional would tell you that its ideal to be at a healthy weight while TTCing, you still have every chance of concieving quickly and having a healthy pregnancy. 

good luck!

 

Ditto. I am about 50lbs over where I should be. It took me 9 tries (2 ICIs, 2 unmedicated IUIs, 3 IUIs with Clomid, and 2 IUIs with Clomid and Follistim) to get pregnant. Who knows if I would have gotten pregnant sooner if I had been thinner. It was never mentioned in all of my time with my RE. We now have (almost) 5y old twin boys. I had a uneventful pregnancy, worked until 36w + 4d (took off 3 days to do errands that would be impossible with newborn twins!), and delivered via scheduled c-section (baby a was breech) at 37w +1d.

Good luck!

thiswillbe

I was above my ideal weight when we started TTC, and got pregnant on our third Clomid IUI. Medication-wise, the only thing I've ever heard is that sometimes they up dosages of meds to accommodate a higher BMI.

GL with everything and a big HELLO to all those delurking!

norika33

Welcome!

As many folks said, there are some fertility issues related to size, but my wife gained weight due to the hormones, and it did take us 6 tries, but she had no fertility issues otherwise, so our RE said nothing about it. I would say, unless your Dr. says to worry about weight, then dont- there are many mysterious elements to getting knocked up, so we tried to be as gentle to each other during the process, knowing that if it was going to happen, it would.

 

ssg73

ditto the other posts re conception and pregnancy when you are over weight.  I was a healthy weight when I conceived and I ended up with a very complicated pregnancy and birth.  Weight can be a factor but there are so many other factors that are more important that will be at play.

2HopefulMoms

I wouldn't stress if I were you. I am 5'6 and was 238 lbs when I got pregnant on our second IUI try with frozen donor sperm. My pregnancy has been perfectly healthy with no complications.

Unless you have other major medical issues, the weight itself shouldn't be an issue. Just be sure you have an RE/Clinic that is open and accepting of plus size women. Also the book that the previous poster recommended is a must read -- it has lots of great info! Good luck to you!

2moms2twins

Two Plus size Mamas here - Well, J just had a gastric bypass  5 months ago so she is getting smaller.  Jay  was  5 Foot 7 and was 330  now 246  and I am also 5 '7 and well pregnant with twins and now weigh 255 - One RE I saw said it was my weight that was an issue with me getting pregnant - She was also the RE that nearly killed our friend who was 26 and was stimulated so much she made 40 follicles and had major OHSS and then 10 cups of fluid drained from her- so she is a wack job . New RE said weight is not a factor unless you are doing at home insemination  in which being heavy can make it difficult - but not impossible.

What i wanna know is where can i get cute Plus size maternity clothes!!!!!!!! Being pregnant with two I have a bigger belly than most and  its been hard finding stuff to wear. 

 

-M

cookiemonster03

Our RE basically said unless you are morbidly obese, it is usually not an issue.

geeeegers

2moms2twins:

What i wanna know is where can i get cute Plus size maternity clothes!!!!!!!! Being pregnant with two I have a bigger belly than most and  its been hard finding stuff to wear. 

 

-M

Have you tried OldNavy.com? They have plus sized maternity... not sure how it actually fits. I hope to find out soon!