Diet and IVF pilot study: short-term weight loss improves pregnancy rates in overweight/obese women undertaking IVF

Obesity worsens and modest weight loss improves female fertility. Overweight women were randomised to lifestyle or standard treatment pre-in vitro fertilisation with treatment cessation at embryo transfer. There was a greater reduction in weight (P < 0.001) for lifestyle treatment (-3.8 ± 3.0 kg, P < 0.001) compared with no changes for standard treatment (-0.5 ± 1.2 kg, P = 0.092). Both the intervention (-5.3 ± 4.6 cm) and control (-3.5 ± 3.5 cm) group had reductions in waist circumference (P < 0.001) with no differences between the two groups (P = 0.215). The overall pregnancy rate was 53% (20/38) for the intervention and control group combined.