Anorexia nervosa and bulimia can negatively impact a woman's menstrual cycle and ability to carry a healthy pregnancy. Women with active anorexia often do not menstruate or ovulate, making it difficult to get pregnant. If they do become pregnant, they are more at risk for miscarriage, delivering early, C-section delivery, and having a low birth weight baby. Women who have recovered from anorexia and achieved a healthy weight have a better chance of regular periods and pregnancy.

1. Anorexia nervosa and bulimiaAnorexia nervosa and bulimia
affect the menstrual cycleaffect the menstrual cycle

2. What’s anorexia?What’s anorexia?
Anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric illnessAnorexia nervosa is a psychiatric illness
characterized by maintaining a low bodycharacterized by maintaining a low body
weight, caloric restriction, and bodyweight, caloric restriction, and body
dissatisfaction. People , see themselvesdissatisfaction. People , see themselves
as overweight even when they areas overweight even when they are
significantly underweight. Anorexiasignificantly underweight. Anorexia
nervosa can also be accompanied bynervosa can also be accompanied by
binge eating and purging.binge eating and purging.

3. What’s bulimia?What’s bulimia?
 Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorderBulimia nervosa is an eating disorder
characterized by frequent episodes of bingecharacterized by frequent episodes of binge
eating, followed by frantic efforts to avoid gainingeating, followed by frantic efforts to avoid gaining
weight. It affects women and men of all agesweight. It affects women and men of all ages
Bulimia nervosaBulimia nervosa is a disiase and a type ofis a disiase and a type of
eating . It is when a person wants to eat. Peopleeating . It is when a person wants to eat. People
who have it feel that they are fat and want to bewho have it feel that they are fat and want to be
skinny. When they are hungry, they eat a lot ofskinny. When they are hungry, they eat a lot of
food. Then, they try to take it back by vomiting.food. Then, they try to take it back by vomiting.

4. What problems can it cause with theWhat problems can it cause with the
menstrual cycle?menstrual cycle?
 If a woman with active bulimia gets pregnant, theseIf a woman with active bulimia gets pregnant, these
problems may result:problems may result:
 MiscarriageMiscarriage
 High blood pressure in the motherHigh blood pressure in the mother
 Baby isn't born aliveBaby isn't born alive
 Baby tries to come out with feet or bottom firstBaby tries to come out with feet or bottom first
 Birth byBirth by C-C-sectionsection
 Baby is born earlyBaby is born early
 Low birth weightLow birth weight
 Birth defects, such as blindness or mental retardationBirth defects, such as blindness or mental retardation
 Problems breastfeedingProblems breastfeeding
 Depression in the mother after the baby is bornDepression in the mother after the baby is born

5. Yes. Women who have anorexia whileYes. Women who have anorexia while
they are pregnant are more likely to losethey are pregnant are more likely to lose
the baby. If a woman with anorexiathe baby. If a woman with anorexia
doesn't lose the baby, she is more likely todoesn't lose the baby, she is more likely to
have the baby early, deliver by C-section,have the baby early, deliver by C-section,
deliver a baby with a lower birth weight,deliver a baby with a lower birth weight,
and have depression after the baby isand have depression after the baby is
born.born.

6. It depends. When a woman has "activeIt depends. When a woman has "active
anorexia," meaning she currently hasanorexia," meaning she currently has
anorexia, she does not get her period andanorexia, she does not get her period and
usually does not ovulate. This makes itusually does not ovulate. This makes it
hard to get pregnant. Women who havehard to get pregnant. Women who have
recovered from anorexia and are at arecovered from anorexia and are at a
healthy weight have a better chance ofhealthy weight have a better chance of
getting pregnant.getting pregnant.
Can women who had anorexia in theCan women who had anorexia in the
past still get pregnant?past still get pregnant?

7. It depends. When a woman has "activeIt depends. When a woman has "active
anorexia," meaning she currently hasanorexia," meaning she currently has
anorexia, she does not get her period andanorexia, she does not get her period and
usually does not ovulate. This makes itusually does not ovulate. This makes it
hard to get pregnant. Women who havehard to get pregnant. Women who have
recovered from anorexia and are at arecovered from anorexia and are at a
healthy weight have a better chance ofhealthy weight have a better chance of
getting pregnant.getting pregnant.
Can women who had anorexia in theCan women who had anorexia in the
past still get pregnant?past still get pregnant?