Obesity during pregnancy poses a risk to your health, as well as to that of your unborn baby. Results may include short-term or lifetime complications that can affect both mother and child. According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, or ACOG, the right time to shed those extra pounds is before you try to conceive. Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight before pregnancy is the most important thing you can do for your future child -- as well as yourself.
Obesity Statistics
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, obesity in women is on the rise. One of every five American women is obese when they first become pregnant. Due to the health complications and economic costs associated with obesity during pregnancy, the CDC indicates that obesity prevention should be a "public health priority." However, in an August 2005 news release, spokespersons for the ACOG state that many obstetrician-gynecologists don't broach the topic of weight control with their patients during the pregnancy planning stage. "In preconception visits, we talk to patients about genetic risks and immunity to rubella, but rarely do we discuss their weight or diet and exercise," says Vivian M. Dickerson, M.D., former ACOG president.
Fertility Factor
According to MayoClinic.Com, obesity can affect your ability to get pregnant. Carrying around extra weight can affect your production of estrogen, a hormone needed for regular ovulation. In November 2009, "Science Daily" cited results of a study by Michigan State University researchers, who examined the data of 50,000 women. Findings indicated that women with a body mass index, or BMI, of 40 or more were 35 percent less likely to get pregnant. Women with a BMI of between 35 and 39.9 were 28 percent less likely to conceive, and women with a BMI of 30 to 34.9 were 9 percent less likely to successfully conceive. Women who were simply overweight were only 3 percent less likely to get pregnant.
Complications During Pregnancy
An increased risk of miscarriage is associated with obesity in women who received fertility treatments, as well as those who conceived naturally, says the ACOG. Health complications that may affect you while you're pregnant include gestational diabetes. Although gestational diabetes usually resolves after childbirth, the CDC notes that anywhere between 15 and 50 percent of women develop diabetes later in life. Obesity during pregnancy can also result in a serious medical condition called preeclampsia, a condition characterized by high blood pressure that can threaten your life, as well as the life of your unborn baby. According to the ACOG, the higher your body mass index, or BMI, the more likely you'll need a Cesarean section -- this too can pose a risk to your health, including longer times spent in the operating room, blood loss and post-surgical infection.
Complications for Baby
In addition to miscarriage and stillbirth, the ACOG also indicates that children born to obese mothers are more likely to be premature or suffer from a condition called macrosomia, in which the baby grows too large compared to his gestational age. Certain birth defects are associated with maternal obesity, says the March of Dimes. If you're obese, your baby is twice as likely to have a neural tube defect known as spina bifida, as well as defects of the heart and limbs.
Long-Term Complications
Children born to overweight mothers are also twice as likely to become obese themselves and develop type 2 diabetes once they grow older, cautions the CDC.
See Your Doctor
The ACOG stresses the importance of a frank, open dialogue between obese mothers-to-be and their doctors. A preconception visit comes highly recommended by the ACOG to get you to a healthy weight before you get pregnant. Nutrition counseling can help you eat a healthier diet, and an exercise program can get you into optimal shape for your pregnancy.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Pregnancy Complications
- American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: ACOG Issues Guidance to Ob-Gyns on Impact of Obesity During Pregnancy
- MayoClinic.Com: Female Fertility-Why Lifestyle Choices Count
- March of Dimes: What Birth Defects are Associated with Maternal Obesity?
- Science Daily: Obesity Significantly Cuts Odds of Successful Pregnancy
