How can other preexisting health problems affect female infertility?

How can other preexisting health problems affect female infertility?

Richard Paulson (Chief, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, USC) gives expert video advice on: What factors can prevent me from becoming pregnant?; What are the leading causes of infertility among women?; What causes male infertility? and more...

Most chronic medical conditions do not have a direct effect on fertility. The one notable exception to that is Obesity, which is commonly associated with diabetes. Diabetes actually affects the ovary and causes a condition that looks like polycystic ovary condition, which causes the woman to stop ovulating. Some women will not ovulate if they are too heavy and will only start to ovulate after their weight comes down to a reasonable level. Of course, many other women will ovulate regardless of how heavy they are and subsequently have to deal with the obesity during their pregnancy. In the same way, other medical conditions are primarily a source of problems during the pregnancy itself. For example, high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney disease all have the potential for getting worse during pregnancy and also for making the pregnancy more complicated.