Obesity No Bar to Donor-egg Pregnancy Success

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Heavy women undergoing fertility treatment involving donated eggs are likely to have a good outcome, researchers report. They found that a high body mass index (BMI) has no adverse effect on embryo implantation or pregnancy outcome in donor-egg recipients.

Maternal obesity is associated with reduced fertility and a lower birth rate after in vitro fertilization, Dr. Richard T. Scott Jr. of Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey, in Morristown, and colleagues note in the medical journal Fertility and Sterility.

However, the effect of obesity on outcomes of pregnancies resulting from donor eggs has been unclear.

To investigate, the researchers conducted a look-back analysis of data on 536 recipients of donor eggs. Based on BMI, the women were classified as being underweight, normal, overweight or obese. Pregnancy outcomes in each group were compared.

There were no significant differences among groups in implantation rates, ongoing pregnancy rates or spontaneous miscarriage rates.

Based on these results, the researchers conclude that "obesity does not appear to exert a negative effect on endometrial receptivity."

SOURCE: Fertility and Sterility, June 2005.