Laura Adlington has spoken out against the NHS, revealing that she was fat-shamed by medical professionals while seeking IVF treatment.
The Great British Bake Off star, 36, announced her pregnancy last month after undergoing IVF, describing her journey as a “miracle.”
However, she shared her frustration over the numerous fertility experts within the NHS who told her that losing weight was a prerequisite for conceiving.
In a candid Instagram Q&A on Wednesday, Laura recounted her difficult experience with the NHS.
When asked if she had been offered IVF treatment through the NHS, she explained: “Our experience with the NHS (just in regards to infertility, I want to add) was dreadful.”
She continued: “We waited 8 months to see a specialist. On the day of our appointment, we were weighed and fat-shamed in the corridor before being able to go into her office, and then told we couldn’t even have tests done because of my BMI.
“BMI is an archaic and inaccurate measure of health, but the NHS uses it as an excuse every time. We had the door shut in our face every single step of the way, and it’s wrong.”
BMI (Body Mass Index), widely used since the 1970s, calculates whether an individual has a healthy weight for their height.
A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered healthy, while figures above 30 are classified as obese.
However, the measure has been criticised for its limitations, particularly its inability to differentiate between muscle mass and body fat, which has led to misclassifications, such as the case of actor Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, who is technically considered obese by BMI standards.
Laura's BMI was 45, and after being denied IVF through the NHS, she and her husband, Matt, turned to The Lister Fertility Clinic in London, which did not impose an upper BMI limit.
Laura explained: “As far as I know, they are the only clinic not to have an upper BMI limit. Mine was 45.
“Overall, our experience was really positive. My weight was mentioned at the start. I had to pay to see an obstetrician and speak to one of their anesthetists. Our case was then put to a panel before we were approved. My weight was never brought up again.”
She also revealed that the treatment cost the couple £10,198.54 per cycle, sharing a copy of the bill with her followers.
Laura’s baby news comes after nine years of infertility struggles, during which she was advised to lose 14 stone before attempting to conceive.
She shared the joyful announcement on Instagram last month, revealing that after “quietly deciding to give IVF a try,” they had succeeded.
