Insemination (IUI) with high BMI
In our IUI department, we have no strict BMI limits.
If you have a regular menstrual cycle, you can start BMI treatment even if you are overweight.
Our IUI department offers insemination for women and couples with BMIs exceeding limits set by most fertility clinics.
Research suggests higher BMI may reduce pregnancy chances. However, our experience shows results aren’t significantly worse if the woman is healthy and have a regular cycle.
We believe BMI should not hinder women with a desire for pregnancy, but some cases are beyond our help. This particularly applies to women without a menstrual cycle or those who do not ovulate monthly.
Our IUI department exclusively offers insemination treatment performed during a natural menstrual cycle. If your menstrual cycle is irregular, unfortunately, we cannot provide treatment at our clinic.
Overweight women without a cycle or ovulation often benefit from weight loss, improving fertility and cycle regularity. A tailored weight-loss programme can positively impact fertility and cycles without requiring a specific BMI target.
We offer personalised dietary guidance to help restore regular menstruation and enhance fertility.
Although insemination treatment (IUI) may be an option for those with high BMI, you should be aware that there are several risk factors associated with getting pregnant, especially when your BMI exceeds 30.
Research shows that women with a BMI over 35 have a higher risk of experiencing miscarriage.
There is an increased risk of complications such as gestational diabetes, high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia in women with an increased BMI.
Women with a high BMI may experience more complications during labour. C-section or other interventions are more likely to be needed.
There is an increased risk of the baby having birth defects, such as spina bifida.
It can be more challenging to get a clear picture during ultrasound scans, which can make monitoring ovulation, follicle development and the pregnancy itself more difficult.
IVF is a more invasive fertility treatment than IUI. Unlike IUI, IVF involves hormone therapy and a medical procedure to retrieve eggs from the ovaries using a needle inserted through the vaginal wall.
For overweight women, it can be challenging to get a clear ultrasound image of the ovaries and surrounding organs. In some cases, the ovaries may be positioned too high, making safe egg retrieval difficult. This increases the risk of complications, such as damaging surrounding organs, bleeding, or infections.
At our IVF department, we assess each patient individually to determine if IVF is safe. We can offer IVF to women with a BMI of up to 40. For BMIs over 40, the procedure is often too risky. During the initial ultrasound, we evaluate the ovaries’ position and accessibility for egg retrieval.
If your BMI is over 40, don’t hesitate to reach out. We are always here to provide guidance, assessments, and support with weight loss.
You can take many steps to boost fertility before treatment—weight loss is just one option.
Get our top 10 tips to get your body ready for IUI and increase your chances of a successful pregnancy.
Are there alternatives to lifestyle changes for improving my chances of conceiving and having a healthy pregnancy as overweight?
Medical weight loss using e.g. Wegovy may be an option if your BMI is above 30 (BMI limit is 27 if you suffer from certain weight-related diseases).
Weight loss medication is prescription-only, so we recommend that you talk to your GP about the options if it might be of interest to you. Please note that you should not take Wegovy while trying to conceive and for 2 months before starting fertility treatment.
In order to get pregnant with insemination treatment, there must be a passage through at least one of the fallopian tubes for the egg to pass through and implant in the uterine cavity.
An HSU (Hystero Salpingo Ultrasonography) is a passage examination of the fallopian tubes, but the flush can also be used to remove minor “blockages” in the fallopian tubes to increase the chances of pregnancy. Please contact us for more information about this option.