A 25-year-old woman from China, referred to as Mei, has become permanently infertile after undergoing liposuction on her stomach, according to a report by the Hangzhou City Express on August 14. Mei, who weighed 50 kilograms and stood 1.65 meters tall, underwent the procedure at Shulan Hangzhou Hospital in Zhejiang province, located in eastern China.
Dr. Zhong Chao, from the hospital’s reproductive medicine department, revealed that Mei had attempted other methods to reduce the fat on her stomach but was unsuccessful. Feeling that she was “too much of a perfectionist to tolerate even a small amount of fat on her belly,” Mei chose to have liposuction.
After the surgery, Mei’s menstruation ceased, and Dr. Zhong discovered that her ovaries had atrophied, leading to irreversible infertility. Dr. Zhong noted that while obesity is often associated with infertility, being underweight can also cause reproductive issues. A significant reduction in body fat can lower estrogen levels, which in turn can lead to ovarian dysfunction.
Dr. Chen Shihong from Peking University Shenzhen Hospital emphasized that having a small amount of belly fat is normal and serves to protect the uterus and ovaries. Chen criticized internet trends like the “ant waist,” “chopsticks legs,” and “palm face” challenges, which promote extreme thinness and contribute to appearance-related anxiety.
One user on Weibo commented, “It’s more important to be healthy than to be skinny,” while another added, “If you want to lose weight, exercise is your best friend.”
