Too skinny to TTC

[gracegrace]

Can I add a word of caution? Just because it's possible to get pregnant at low weights (I conceived at the BMI under 17) doesn't mean that it's necessarily very healthy to do so. Generally speaking, people who are underweight find pregnancy more difficult, and can be at higher risk of miscarriages and pre-term births. My advice to anyone would be, if you can gain weight (some people, I accept, can't) then gain it before TTC...

 

[Summerbee]

Can I add a word of caution? Just because it's possible to get pregnant at low weights (I conceived at the BMI under 17) doesn't mean that it's necessarily very healthy to do so. Generally speaking, people who are underweight find pregnancy more difficult, and can be at higher risk of miscarriages and pre-term births. My advice to anyone would be, if you can gain weight (some people, I accept, can't) then gain it before TTC...

Thanks for the advice

The orginal point of this thread was for those who were worried about being underweight and TTC, who struggle to put on weight anyways. Also, I have a low BMI and have been told that it is healthy to concieve at this weight. It's worrying when you say things about weight being in problem during pregnancy, all I can find online is those with eating disorders or a BMI well out of the healthy range, below 15, experiencing complications. Bit scary to say that for someone with a naturally low weight who struggles to put on a pound, as quite a few ladies who have posted in this thread have said. I spoke to my doctor about it on wednesday, and she said the body compensates itself if your naturally underweight!

The intention of this wasn't to encourage people to become seriously underweight, or conciously keep themselves underweight before TTC, but to provide a talking space for those who are naturally so. So it's not really possible for those involved here to gain the weight you mentioned...

Have you had many complications?

 

[nightkd]

I'm 'officially' underweight according to those sliding chart things, but I conceived first try and generally speaking I'm healthy! Just because a chart says I'm underweight doesn't mean I'm not at a healthy weight for me... It's different for each person. As long as you eat healthily and you don't generally feel unwell - eg passing out etc, you're generally healthy - eating properly etc, then you should be fine!

xx

 

[mummy3]

Im naturally underweight with a pre pregnancy bmi of around 16 before my 3 and I conceive at the drop of a hat and I gain weight with the pregnancies at a normal rate, 2 stone by 28 weeks! However all 3 have been pre term births, 2 at 35 weeks and 1 at 33 weeks.

 

[Lara310809]

As long as you're ovulating and you still have your periods, then I would assume you're as fertile as any other woman out there. The problems come when you lose your periods because of your low body weight (and in cases, high body weight).

I would however say that it's good to have a bit extra, just in case, and also because the first trimester is a hard time on mother and baby, so if you have that little bit extra, you can still help the baby develop even if you're not physically able to keep anything down.

 

[Blah11]

If your body allows you to conceive then it's obviously healthy enough for pregnancy. If you struggle conceiving or have MC's then you'll need to gain weight. Guess you can't tell until you're actively trying