By Kylie Walker
05jul04
THE nation's already low fertility rates were set to plummet as an obesity crisis rendered more women unable to fall pregnant, specialists said today.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), a pre-diabetic condition that affected many overweight women, was on the rise, obesity researcher Dr Robert David said.
"We're seeing more and more young women who don't get their period and who find it very difficult to lose weight," Dr David said.
"I believe that within 10 years, if obesity continues to rise at the present rate, half of all Australian women could be temporarily or permanently infertile."
Women with PCOS had irregular menstrual cycles and often did not ovulate, fertility specialist Dr David Knight said.
"Menopause was the fertility problem of the 80s and 90s but PCOS has increased in importance from about 2000," Dr Knight said.
"Ten years ago I rarely saw PCOS but now I deal with it much more often."
Australia's fertility rate is currently at 1.7 babies per woman, with about 28 per cent of women expected to remain childless.
Studies in 1998 found one woman in 20 suffered PCOS, Dr David said.
"However, the skyrocketing rate of obesity and diabetes in the community since then strongly suggests that infertility has increased at least at the same rate," he said.
Almost half of all women aged over 25 are overweight or obese, up 15 per cent in the past 10 years.
Weight gain affects fertility by leading to changes in the way the body deals with sugar, which increases the output of insulin.
This in turn causes other hormones to become imbalanced, which can impact on the ability of the ovaries to function properly, Dr Knight said.
Avoiding processed foods and switching to a healthy, balanced diet of whole foods could get the ovaries functioning again, he said.
However, there was a better chance of improving fertility if an overweight or obese woman brought her weight back to a healthy range.
"Even losing 5kg can make a difference," Dr David said.
Ema Perrot lost more than 30kg before she fell pregnant with her son Gabrielle, now 18 months.
"My period stopped when I was 17 and doctors said `it's normal, you're still young'," Mrs Perrot, 26, said.
"But after I lost weight, after not having my period at all for nine years, I started menstruating again.
"It was a shock to find I was pregnant."