Fertility & Red Light Therapy: What Women Need to Know About Visceral Fat
If you’ve been navigating fertility issues you’ve likely been bombarded with conversations about weight, BMI, and what you “should” be doing. It’s a lot. And it can feel personal in ways that sting. But underneath all those numbers is an important story about visceral fat - the deep, hidden fat that influences inflammation, hormones, and ultimately, your reproductive health. This isn’t about blame or body scrutiny. It’s about empowerment, and giving you evidence-backed guidance that actually helps. In this blog, we’ll unpack what truly matters (and what doesn’t), and explore how supportive tools like photobiomodulation (PBM) with devices such as the Fringe Vaginal Wand can become part of a hopeful, strategic path forward on your fertility journey.
Visceral Fat: A Hidden Hurdle in Reproductive Health
Visceral fat is sometimes called “active fat” because it plays an active role in how your body functions. Having some visceral fat is normal and healthy. It cushions and protects your internal organs. Visceral fat does far more than influence weight or appearance. Unlike the fat just beneath your skin, visceral fat wraps around abdominal organs reducing circulation, releasing inflammatory signals and hormones that create roadblocks for fertility. If you’re doing IVF, high visceral fat is not just a number: women with greater visceral fat areas (VFA) show significantly lower clinical pregnancy and live birth rates after embryo transfer, even when controlling for age and overall BMI. In a 2025 study, those with high VFA had a 10% lower chemical pregnancy rate and lower live birth rates than women with less visceral fat.
“Visceral fat isn’t just “extra weight” - it behaves almost like another endocrine organ. It releases its own cocktail of hormones and inflammatory signals that quietly influence everything from metabolism to ovarian function. When visceral fat is high, those signals can disrupt the very hormonal balance your reproductive system relies on. Understanding this helps take the focus off appearance and puts it where it belongs: on supporting a healthier internal environment that works with your fertility, not against it.”
Visceral fat unlike subcutaneous fat can reduce circulation to the reproductive organs.
Not Just About BMI: What the Research Suggests
While BMI is often used in clinics as a screening tool, its story is incomplete. It is very possible for women with “normal” BMI to have high visceral fat, a phenomenon known as "normal weight obesity," which also impairs egg quality, embryo development, and IVF success. In large studies, each increase in BMI was linked to a measurable drop in the chance of pregnancy and live birth during IVF, even as few as five extra BMI points cut chances by 5-7%. But the type of fat, and the inflammation it creates matters more than the scale alone.
Why Laser on the Abdomen May Need Some Help
If you’re using a home device to support your fertility, whether it’s a lamp a panel, or laser you’re already taking proactive, hopeful steps. And that matters. But here’s something most women are never told: even high-powered Class IV lasers can struggle to penetrate deeply enough to reach the reproductive organs when visceral fat levels are elevated. That doesn’t mean your efforts are wasted or that your body is “working against you” - far from it. It simply highlights how amazing (and complex) your physiology is, and why understanding visceral fat becomes an empowering piece of the puzzle. When you pair your device with targeted lifestyle shifts that support metabolic health, you’re stacking the odds in your favor and giving your reproductive system the very best environment to thrive. Reducing visceral fat requires a metabolic and lifestyle approach.
How Do You Know If You Have High Visceral Fat?
The gold standards for measuring visceral fat, MRI or CT scans are pricey and rarely used outside specialist clinics. Fortunately, you have accessible alternatives:
Waist-to-hip ratio is another home-friendly option; ratios over 0.85 in women hint at unhealthy visceral fat levels.
Ask your provider about an abdominal ultrasound, which can estimate visceral fat thickness.
Simple tape measure tests: a waist circumference over 35 inches (88 cm) in women strongly suggests higher visceral fat.
Science-Backed Approaches for Women Trying to Conceive
Here’s the good news: even modest improvements in metabolic health and lifestyle can lower visceral fat and create a healthier, more welcoming environment for conception both natural and assisted through IVF.
· Follow a Mediterranean or lower-glycemic diet, rich in anti-inflammatory foods and fiber.
· Incorporate regular movement - 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise is optimal; even walking helps.
· Poor sleep increases inflammation and makes it harder to lose visceral fat. Using warm (below 2700K), low-blue-light bulbs in the evening, and minimizing screen time two hours before bed, can significantly support sleep quality and hormone regulation. Make this a priority!
· Prioritize medical management for insulin resistance or PCOS early intervention makes a real difference.
· Find your personal “stress toolkit”: mindfulness, therapy, or breathing practices add up to lower cortisol and support better metabolic and reproductive health. You’ll receive access to my FertileMind app as part of your individualized protocol if you purchase the Fringe Wand and/or my Solasta Home Laser.
The Fringe Wand: A Targeted Ally in Fertility Support
While external red light tools can struggle with visceral fat, there’s exciting promise in targeted PBM for reproductive tissues. The Fringe Wand is an intravaginal PBM device that gently delivers red, near-infrared, and blue wavelength light directly to the uterus and ovaries, helping improve tissue health, boost endometrial receptivity, and modulate local inflammation. I would suggest device stacking so you can incorporate the Ohshiro protocol too using my Solasta laser. There are several areas of the body we can use the laser on to support reproduction as you work on your ‘light diet’ at night, exercise and stress management.
IVF Outlook: Realistic, Optimistic, Actionable
The most robust studies on IVF outcomes show:
· Higher visceral fat and higher BMI both correlate with lower pregnancy and live birth rates in IVF cycles.
· Losing even 5-10% of body weight, or specifically lowering visceral fat - can meaningfully improve reproductive outcomes and, for some women, restore natural cycles.
If you’re reading this while feeling overwhelmed or discouraged, know this: research is on your side, and every positive habit moves you closer to both better health and the family you dream of building.
Keep the faith!
Tracy
