What does the UK’s version of Big Brother have to do with infertility? Read on to discover the inside scoop….
Chantelle Houghton, 27, was a contestant on the show several years ago (2006) and has admitted that her obsession with being thin has hurt her chances to have a child without IVF treatment.
Noted Houghton to the BBC:
“Because of my obsession with food and my crash dieting when I had bulimia, I’ve ruined my chances of having a baby naturally.”
Though doctors have not said she absolutely cannot have children on her own, they have reportedly told Houghton she has “low fertility” and have suggested fertility treatments should she and current boyfriend Alex Reid want to get pregnant.
Houghton isn’t taking the discovery lightly and is now speaking out to raise awareness about the connection between eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia and binge eating on fertility.
It’s sad to hear Houghton say she blames herself, especially since eating disorders are not a deliberate choice. Yet it’s heartening to know that she’s trying to help others not become as obsessed with numbers on a scale or looking “a certain way” to fit unrealistic media standards.
If you have or have had an eating disorder, we at RSI, one of Philadelphia area’s premiere fertility clinics, recommend you undergo therapy (and hospitalization, if necessary) to control the condition before entering into fertility treatments.
Remember that there IS life and can be pregnancy after an eating disorder. But not until you get control of your health.