As of 2007, one in five women in the United States begins their pregnancy obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Unfortunately, carrying excess weight is associated with serious health risks for both mom and baby. If you are considering having a child, talk to your health-care provider about your weight and ask him if he recommends weight loss prior to conception. If you are currently pregnant and obese, do your best to have a healthy, active pregnancy for the sake of your child.
Conception
A body mass index (BMI) over 30 is considered obese for women. Researchers from the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam found that women with a BMI higher than 35 were 26 percent less likely to conceive naturally, and women with a BMI of 40 or higher were 43 percent less likely to have a spontaneous pregnancy. The study, published in the journal "Human Reproduction" in 2007, postulated that decreased fecundity could be due to the hormone imbalance associated with excess body fat and decreased libido and sexual activity. Obese women also tend to have irregular menstrual cycles and unpredictable ovulation.
Pregnancy
Moms that are obese during the pregnancy are at increased risk for complications including high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, delivery by cesarean section and longer hospital stays. Additionally, infants born to obese mothers are twice as likely as their peers to be born with spina bifida and other similar defects. They also have a slightly increased risk of heart and limb defects.
Consequences
Maternal obesity is associated with long-term consequences for offspring. Children born to obese mothers tend to be unusually large at birth, and overweight children are nine times as likely as their peers to become overweight or obese adults. Infants of obese mothers are also two times as likely to develop type 2 diabetes later on in life, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Recommendations
If you are an overweight or obese woman who hopes to become pregnant, now is the time to get fit. Talk to your physician about developing a diet and exercise plan that will help you to shed your excess weight. If you are currently pregnant and obese, it is not too late to have a healthy pregnancy. Although pregnant women should not diet, you should make every effort to eat healthily and exercise regularly throughout your pregnancy. Ask your physician about appropriate weight gain for you. Obese women generally should maintain their current weight and not add any extra pounds during pregnancy.
References
- Reuters; Obesity Hurts a Woman's Chance of Conception; Julie Steenhuysen; December 2007
- Science Daily; Mom's Obesity During Conception Phase May Set The Stage For Offspring's Obesity Risk; January 2008
- March of Dimes: What Birth Defects are Associated with Maternal Obesity?
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Maternal and Infant Health Research: Pregnancy Complications
- Human Reproduction; Obesity Affects Spontaneous Pregnancy Chances in Subfertile, Ovulatory Women; Jan Willem van der Steeg, et al; December 2007
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