Overweight And Pregnant
Pregnant or planning on getting pregnant? Overweight? You will be doing both yourself and your unborn bundle of joy a favor by taking control of the situation sooner rather than later. For one thing, you’ll enjoy a more comfortable pregnancy. You’ll be less likely to suffer back problems from carrying the extra load if you’re not already carrying a hefty load yourself. And you’ll reduce your risk of developing problems later in your pregnancy, such as hypertension or the need for an emergency cesarean section. A number of studies have found a link between some serious pregnancy complications and higher body mass indexes (BMIs.) Two of the more serious health problems that may develop are gestational diabetes and preeclampsia.
Your risk of developing gestational diabetes is highest if you are very overweight. According to MayoClinic.com, this is defined as a BMI of 30 or more. Gestational diabetes means that your blood sugar levels are too high. While this doesn’t mean you will be a diabetic after the blessed event, you may end up with type 2 diabetes later in life if you ignore it. Gestational diabetes is also associated with an increase in urinary tract infections during pregnancy. Who wants that? And your baby? If you follow your doctor’s orders after you are diagnosed, you’ll most likely deliver a healthy baby. Left untreated, though, gestational diabetes can increase the risk of having a large baby, which can lead to more difficulties in the birthing process and often results in the need for a Cesarean section. The baby may also experience a number of other problems, from jaundice to trouble breathing, and is more likely to suffer from obesity and type 2 diabetes down the road.
Being diagnosed with gestational diabetes also puts you at higher risk for developing preeclampsia, a condition characterized by high blood pressure and an excessive amount of protein in the urine. Even if you dodge gestational diabetes, a high BMI increases the probability that you’ll suffer from preeclampsia. At its worse, this disease can result in a miscarriage, and it is one of the leading known causes of premature birth. Babies born prematurely must often remain in the hospital after the mother has been discharged. Not a good way to start life—for baby or mother. And babies born prematurely due to preeclampsia have been found to have a number of other more serious health issues as they grow.
So what can you do to lower your risk? The good news is that both of these more serious conditions tend to occur later in the pregnancy (although this is not always the case), so even if you’re already pregnant, you can take steps now to reduce your chances of having to deal with one or both of them later.
Keep your weight gain under control, but do so with your doctor’s guidance. You need to make sure your baby is getting the nutrients he needs. A healthy, low-fat diet should not only help you avoid excessive weight gain, but it may also reduce any nausea you’ve been experiencing. And exercise. Enjoy a daily walk and use the time to think about the new life you’re about to introduce to the world. As an added bonus, a stroll in the sun will increase your level of Vitamin D, which one study found will reduce the risk of preeclampsia by a factor of five.
