Why weight before pregnancy matters Preconception weight is relevant because it can influence ovulation, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, medication dosing, and how much weight a pregnancy naturally tends to add later. A person entering pregnancy at a very low or…

What BMI tells us before conception Body mass index is calculated from weight and height and is used as a quick population-level estimate of weight status. In fertility care, it helps clinicians identify people who may have higher or lower…

Why blood tests before pregnancy are individualized When people look up Tests to do before pregnancy, they often expect a universal lab panel. In reality, preconception testing is more like a decision tree. A clinician looks at your medical history,…

Start with a preconception health review A good first step is a preconception health review with your GP, OB-GYN, midwife, or another trusted clinician. This is especially useful if you live with diabetes, hypertension, thyroid disease, epilepsy, autoimmune disease, polycystic…

1. Start with a preconception counseling appointment A preconception counseling appointment is one of the most useful first steps because it turns a vague plan into a structured review. You and your clinician can talk through your menstrual history, prior…

How underweight can affect fertility Fertility depends on a tightly regulated hormonal network. When someone is significantly underweight, especially for a sustained period, the body may interpret that as a state of limited resources. In response, the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis can…

How thyroid hormones participate in ovulation Ovulation is usually described as an ovarian event, but it is really the end point of a larger endocrine conversation. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, estradiol, progesterone, and the gonadotropins all influence one another through…

How hypothyroidism can affect fertility Thyroid hormone interacts with the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, so a low thyroid state can have downstream effects on reproductive function. Clinically, hypothyroidism is associated with menstrual irregularity, including heavier bleeding, longer cycles, or, in some cases,…

How hyperthyroidism can interfere with conception Hyperthyroidism means the body is exposed to too much thyroid hormone, most often because of Graves' disease, thyroiditis, or another thyroid disorder. Thyroid hormone has wide metabolic effects, but it also interacts closely with…

What most strongly shapes IVF outcomes IVF outcomes are influenced by three broad layers: the patient's biology, the embryo, and the clinic's methods. Age remains one of the strongest predictors of success, and diagnosis matters too; diminished ovarian reserve, endometriosis,…