How much women eat per day influences their fertility potential.
This is primarily due to the fact that hormonal pulses needed to drive ovulation are sensitive to energy availability. When there is low energy availability (not enough calories in) the body repurposes energy that would be used for hormones and fertility, and instead uses it on more essential things like staying alive.
The hormone that is most impacted by low caloric intake is Luteinizing Hormone (LH), which is the hormone responsible for causing ovulation. As a result, women who eat a low caloric diet tend to have more problems with the second half of their cycle, the luteal phase. They may notice symptoms like spotting before periods, breast tenderness, luteal phase <9 days in length, difficulty getting pregnant despite normal cycles, and/or recurrent miscarriage.
That's why its so important that women are nourishing appropriately for their body type and age. If weight loss is a goal, it should be done in a way that does not negatively impact other areas of functioning like fertility.
Every women trying to conceive should have a good idea of what their caloric requirements are and work to achieve them.
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