Fertility rates appear to be lower and miscarriage rates higher in women who are overweight, so women planning a pregnancy are encouraged to maintain a BMI in the range of 20–25 to improve their reproductive health. The reasons for links between BMI and fertility aren’t entirely clear, but the suggestion is that your hormonal balance becomes disrupted when your body has more fatrelated weight than is optimal. If you are overweight, you also have a higher risk of complications during pregnancy, such as high blood pressure and

diabetes, and the extra weight of pregnancy will put more strain on your joints