Anorexia Nervosa: Signs, Causes, Effects on Pregnancy, and How to Recover

If you or someone you love is struggling, please reach out. Anorexia nervosa is a serious illness, but it is treatable, and recovery is possible with the right support. In India, you can call Tele-MANAS on 14416 (the government's free 24x7 mental health helpline) or the Vandrevala Foundation on 1860-266-2345, which supports eating and body-image concerns. You are not alone, and asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Quick Answer

Anorexia nervosa is a serious mental health condition and eating disorder, in which a person restricts food, has an intense fear of gaining weight, and sees their body in a distorted way. It affects both the mind and the body, can stop periods and affect fertility, and carries real medical risks. It is not a lifestyle choice or a phase. With professional treatment, including nutritional, psychological and medical care, people do recover.

Key Takeaways

• Anorexia nervosa is a serious illness, not vanity or willpower. It has one of the highest risks of any mental health condition, and it needs proper treatment.

• It commonly stops periods. Up to around 84% of women with anorexia experience amenorrhea, because low body weight disrupts the hormones that drive the menstrual cycle.

• It affects fertility and pregnancy, but not always permanently. With treatment and weight restoration, periods and fertility often return.

• Pregnancy is a high-risk time, both medically and for relapse. Up to around 1 in 4 women relapse during pregnancy or soon after, so extra support matters.

• Recovery is genuinely possible. Early help gives the best outcomes, so reaching out sooner rather than later is important.

What Is Anorexia Nervosa?

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder and a mental health condition. A person with anorexia limits how much they eat, often intensely, driven by a powerful fear of gaining weight and a distorted view of their own body, seeing themselves as larger than they are even when they are underweight.

It is important to understand what anorexia is not. It is not a choice, a diet gone too far, a bid for attention, or something a person can simply "snap out of". It is a recognised illness with psychological and biological roots, and like other illnesses, it needs treatment, not judgement. It affects people of all genders, ages and body sizes, though it often begins in adolescence or young adulthood.

For a broader overview of eating disorders as a group, see Mylo's guide to eating disorders.

Anorexia vs Bulimia: What Is the Difference?

These two eating disorders are often confused. Both are serious and both need help, but they differ.

Some people move between patterns or have features of both. What matters is not labelling it perfectly but recognising that a problem exists and seeking help.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Anorexia?

Recognising anorexia early helps, whether in yourself or someone you care about. Signs span behaviour, emotions and the body. This is for recognition and concern, not self-diagnosis.

Behavioural and emotional signs:

• Restricting food, skipping meals, or eating very little, sometimes with rigid rules about food

• Intense preoccupation with weight, food, calories or body shape

• Fear of gaining weight, even when underweight

• A distorted body image, feeling "too big" despite being thin

• Excessive or compulsive exercise

• Withdrawing from meals with family or friends, or eating in secret

• Wearing loose clothes to hide the body

• Low mood, anxiety, irritability or perfectionism

Physical signs:

• Significant or rapid weight loss

• Periods stopping or becoming irregular (amenorrhea)

• Feeling cold, tired or dizzy

• Hair thinning on the head, or fine downy hair on the body

• Constipation, stomach problems

• Poor concentration and low energy

If several of these ring true for you or someone close to you, please treat it as a reason to seek help, not something to wait out.

What Causes Anorexia Nervosa?

There is no single cause. Anorexia usually develops from a combination of factors, which is why blame, whether of the person or their family, is neither accurate nor helpful:

• Genetic and biological factors, including a family history of eating disorders, anxiety or depression

• Psychological traits, such as perfectionism, high self-criticism, anxiety, or a need for control

• Social and cultural pressures, including unrealistic body ideals, social media, and comments about weight and appearance

• Life stresses or transitions, such as trauma, bullying, major change, or difficult relationships

• Dieting that spirals, where restriction that began "normally" becomes an illness

In India, rising exposure to idealised body images online, alongside cultural pressures around appearance and marriage, can play a role, and stigma around mental health often delays people from seeking help. Reducing that stigma is part of the solution.

How Does Anorexia Affect Periods, Fertility and Pregnancy?

This is where anorexia matters most for Mylo's readers, and where clear information is genuinely hard to find.

Periods and fertility. Anorexia commonly stops periods. Up to around 84% of women with anorexia experience amenorrhea, because low body weight and the resulting hormonal changes switch off the menstrual cycle, rather than any problem with the ovaries or uterus themselves. The reassuring part: anorexia is unlikely to permanently affect fertility as long as the person gets treatment and restores a healthy weight, after which periods and ovulation often return (Journal of Eating Disorders review). If your periods have stopped, see amenorrhea causes and when to see a doctor.

Pregnancy is higher risk with active anorexia. When anorexia is active during pregnancy, there is a higher chance of complications including anaemia, restricted fetal growth (IUGR), preterm birth, low birth weight, and caesarean delivery (systematic review). This is not said to frighten anyone, but to explain why extra care and honest conversations with your doctor matter so much.

Pregnancy and the postpartum period can trigger relapse. Up to around 1 in 4 women relapse during pregnancy, often in the first 20 weeks, or in the early postpartum period, when body changes, exhaustion and new pressures collide. If you have a history of an eating disorder and are pregnant or planning to be, telling your obstetrician early lets them arrange the psychiatric and nutritional support that genuinely helps.

If you are recovering and hoping to conceive, work with your doctor. Restoring nutrition and weight, and stabilising the eating disorder, gives both you and a future baby the best foundation.

How Is Anorexia Diagnosed and Treated?

Diagnosis is made by a doctor or mental health professional, based on eating patterns, thoughts and feelings about food and body, physical health, and sometimes blood tests to check the effects on the body. There is no single lab test; it is a clinical assessment made with care.

Treatment is most effective when it addresses mind and body together, usually through a team:

• Psychological therapy, which is the cornerstone, helping with the thoughts, fears and emotions driving the illness

• Nutritional rehabilitation and support to restore healthy eating and weight, guided by professionals, not done alone

• Medical monitoring of the heart, bones, electrolytes and other effects

• Treatment of coexisting conditions such as anxiety or depression

• Family involvement, especially for adolescents

• Hospital care in severe cases, when physical health is at risk

Recovery is often not quick or linear, but it is real, and many people go on to live full lives, including having families. Early treatment gives the best chance.

How Can I Support Someone With Anorexia?

If you are worried about a loved one:

• Approach with compassion, not confrontation. Focus on your care for them, not on food, weight or appearance.

• Avoid comments about weight or how they look, even well-meant ones.

• Do not police their eating or turn every meal into a battle. Encourage professional help instead.

• Be patient. Recovery has ups and downs, and your steady support matters.

• Look after yourself too, and seek support for your own stress.

• Encourage professional help, and offer to help them find or reach it.

Anorexia: Frequently Asked Questions

"Can I get pregnant if I have anorexia and my periods have stopped?"
It can be harder, because stopped periods usually mean you are not ovulating, but it is not impossible, and fertility often returns with treatment and weight restoration. If you have anorexia and are planning a pregnancy, work with your doctor first, as recovery gives you and a baby the healthiest start.

"Will anorexia permanently affect my fertility?"
Usually not, if it is treated. Research suggests anorexia is unlikely to cause permanent infertility as long as you get appropriate treatment and restore a healthy weight, after which periods and ovulation often return. A specialist can advise on your specific situation.

"Is anorexia dangerous during pregnancy?"
Active anorexia in pregnancy is higher risk, linked to anaemia, restricted fetal growth, preterm birth and low birth weight, and pregnancy can also trigger relapse. This is exactly why telling your obstetrician about a current or past eating disorder is so important, so you get the extra support that reduces these risks.

"Is anorexia the same as just dieting or being a picky eater?"
No. Anorexia is a serious mental illness involving an intense fear of weight gain and a distorted body image, not a diet or fussiness. It affects health profoundly and needs treatment. If eating and body worries are dominating someone's life, that is a reason to seek help.

"Can people fully recover from anorexia?"
Yes. Recovery is possible, and many people recover fully, especially with early treatment. It can take time and involve setbacks, but with the right team and support, people rebuild a healthy relationship with food and their body.

"Where can I get help in India?"
You can call Tele-MANAS on 14416 (free, 24x7, government), the Vandrevala Foundation on 1860-266-2345 (24x7, includes eating and body-image concerns), or KIRAN on 1800-599-0019. Your doctor can also refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist experienced with eating disorders.

When and Where To Get Help

Please seek help if you or someone you know:

• Is restricting food, losing weight, or is preoccupied with weight and body shape

• Has stopped having periods along with weight loss

• Is pregnant or planning pregnancy and has a current or past eating disorder

• Feels their life is being controlled by food, weight or body image

India mental health helplines (free and confidential):

• Tele-MANAS (Government of India): 14416 or 1-800-891-4416, 24x7

• Vandrevala Foundation: 1860-266-2345, 24x7, supports eating and body-image concerns

• KIRAN (Government of India): 1800-599-0019, 24x7

• iCall (TISS): 022-25521111, Monday to Saturday

If someone is in immediate physical danger or medical crisis, seek emergency medical care.

This article is for information and support only. It does not replace assessment and treatment by a qualified doctor, psychiatrist or psychologist.

Bottom Line

Anorexia nervosa is a serious but treatable illness, not a choice or a phase, and it deserves compassion rather than blame. For women, it commonly stops periods and can affect fertility and pregnancy, though these often recover with treatment and weight restoration. Pregnancy and the time after birth carry a real risk of relapse, so anyone with a current or past eating disorder deserves extra, honest support from their care team. Most importantly, recovery is possible, and reaching out for help, early, is the single most powerful step toward it.

References

All links verified live on 17 September 2026.

1. Pregnancy outcomes in women with active anorexia nervosa: a systematic review — Journal of Eating Disorders. Source for pregnancy complications, relapse rates (up to ~25%), amenorrhea prevalence, and fertility recovery with treatment.

2. Tele-MANAS — Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. National mental health helpline (14416).

3. Vandrevala Foundation — 24x7 mental health helpline supporting eating and body-image concerns.

4. Mylo internal guides on amenorrhea, anaemia in pregnancy and eating disorders.