The Impact of Eating Disorders on Reproductive Health (I Was Supposed to Have a Baby Podcast)
As featured on Talking Away the Taboo. I joined Dr. Aimee Baron on Talking Away the Taboo to talk about how eating disorders affect reproductive health.
Restrictive eating, binge-restrict cycles, and excessive exercise can affect hormones, menstrual cycles, and ovulation, and so they can affect fertility. Eating disorders are treatable, and telling your fertility team about your history is part of good care.
What we covered
- How binge eating and restrictive eating can affect fertility.
- Why disordered eating or excessive exercise can lead to fertility problems.
- The guilt and shame that come with these diagnoses, and how they keep people from getting care.
- Small changes that can help people move out of destructive eating patterns.
- How GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic are being discussed in relation to fertility outcomes, and how they interact with eating habits.
Why this matters if you are trying to conceive
Eating patterns that are restrictive, chaotic, or paired with heavy exercise can disrupt the hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle. A reproductive endocrinologist can evaluate what is happening medically, and an eating disorder therapist can address the patterns underneath.
Many people delay care because of shame, or because they are afraid of being judged by their fertility team. A history of disordered eating is common, and it is something you can raise at any point in treatment.
If you have a history of disordered eating
- Tell your fertility doctor, even if you are no longer symptomatic. It helps them interpret your cycle and plan care.
- Treat the eating disorder and the fertility work as connected, not competing, priorities.
- Expect pregnancy, treatment, and body changes to bring up old thoughts, and plan support ahead of time.
Listen to the episode: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or watch on YouTube.
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
Can an eating disorder affect fertility?
Yes. Restrictive eating, binge-restrict cycles, and excessive exercise can disrupt hormones and ovulation. Many people can improve their fertility health with treatment and recovery, and a reproductive endocrinologist can evaluate your situation.
Should I tell my fertility doctor about disordered eating?
Yes. It helps your care team interpret your cycle and plan treatment, and a good team will respond with support, not judgment.
Ready for support?
If an eating disorder and fertility are both part of your story, I provide eating disorder therapy and infertility counseling.
