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Lookup NU author(s): Professor Nicola HeslehurstORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND).
© 2026 The Author(s). Obesity Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of World Obesity Federation. Females who have larger bodies or obesity may be at an increased risk for experiencing infertility. Problematically, both weight or body size and infertility are stigmatized, harming quality of care. We conducted a scoping review to understand the lived experiences of patients who may be subjected to intersecting stigmas of weight and infertility in healthcare. Searches included six databases (Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycInfo, Scopus, and Proquest Theses and Dissertations). Data were narratively summarized. With a team of interest holders, including lived experience experts, we identified future directions for research, clinical practice, and policy. Searches yielded 2724 articles, and 13 were included. Four themes were derived: 1. Lack of education/information on the link between infertility and obesity provided to the patient and focusing on weight alone; 2. Restricted access to fertility care; 3. Lack of weight management support; and 4. Self-blame. Directions forward for research include ensuring missing perspectives are studied (i.e., partners, gender diverse individuals, and healthcare professionals), examining the impact of stigma on behavioral responses (e.g., weight loss attempts), and comparing the use of body mass index versus other comprehensive measures of excess adiposity on fertility outcomes. Shared decision-making tools to guide patient-centered discussions about fertility and body weight are needed.
Author(s): Hebert BJ, Randhawa H, Blanchette V, Adamo KB, Alberga A, Baillargeon J-P, Cote M, Craig J, Daniel A, Dennett L, Heslehurst N, Nutter S, Patton I, Piccinini-Vallis H, Salas XR, Wadden K, Nagpal TS
Publication type: Review
Publication status: Published
Journal: Obesity Reviews
Year: 2026
Pages: Epub ahead of print
Online publication date: 21/08/2026
Acceptance date: 11/08/2026
ISSN (print): 1467-7881
ISSN (electronic): 1467-789X
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Inc
URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.70213
DOI: 10.1111/obr.70213
Data Access Statement: The data that supports the findings of this study are available in the supplementary material of this article.
