Substantial Weight Gain in Adulthood Is Associated with Lower Probability of Live Birth Following Assisted Reproduction

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Overweight and obesity among women have been associated with lower success of assisted reproduction technologies (ARTs). However, the relation of adolescent body weight and adult weight change to ART outcomes is not well understood. Objective Our objective was to evaluate the associations of female BMI (in kg/m2) at 18 y and weight change from 18 y to current age with ART outcomes. Methods We included 486 women in a prospective cohort at the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center (2004–2018) who underwent 863 ART cycles. At study entry, height and weight were measured by research personnel. Women recalled their weight at 18 y. Restricted cubic splines were used to evaluate the associations between BMI at 18 y and weight change since 18 y and ART outcomes adjusting for age, race, education, smoking, and height and accounting for the correlated cycles within women. Results Women had a median (range) BMI of 20.6 (14.8 to 36.4) at 18 y and 23.3 (16.1 to 45.8) at study entry. The median (range) weight change since 18 y was 7.4 kg (−12.1 to 60.1 kg). There was no association between BMI at 18 y and clinical ART outcomes. Long-term weight change had a nonlinear association with live birth such that higher weight gain since 18 y (particularly ≥15 kg) and weight loss were both associated with lower odds of live birth. The negative association between weight change and live birth was stronger in women ≥22.5 kg/m2 at 18 y such that each 10-kg increase was associated with a 30% (6%, 48%) lower odds of live birth. Conclusions Weight gain in adulthood is negatively associated with ART success, particularly among women who were heavier at 18 y. These results add to the growing literature supporting the benefits of preventing weight gain in adulthood on female fertility.