Obesity in Pregnant Women: An Increased Risk for Complications

While the majority of women will not experience any major problems during pregnancy, certain factors place women at a higher risk for developing complications. One of the most widely recognized risk factors for developing complications during pregnancy includes obesity.

What exactly does it mean to be obese? A person is classified as obese when their BMI, or body mass index, reaches 30 or higher. To ensure a healthy and successful pregnancy, it is critical for overweight and obese women to examine their lifestyle before become pregnant. Ideally, a healthy weight should be reached and any health problems that were brought on by obesity should be eliminated before trying to conceive.

Not only are obese women at an increased risk of developing heart disease, stroke, cancer, metabolic disorders, sleep apnea and a multitude of other health complications, there is also an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes and hypertension during pregnancy. In addition, obese women are more likely to experience longer labors with little cervical progression, which may ultimately necessitate a cesarean section to delivery their baby. Cesarean sections result in longer recovery times than vaginal births.

While there are many health risks involved in women that are obese, developing babies can also be affected by the excess weight of the mother. Research shows that babies born to obese mothers are more likely to suffer from birth defects, preterm delivery, large birth weight and an increased risk for developing childhood obesity.

Women that are overweight or obese should consider losing weight before becoming pregnant. Losing any weight is better than none and will help ensure a healthy pregnancy for both mother and baby. Losing necessary weight can be done through eating a well balanced meal and exercising daily, to reduce the amount of calories that your body absorbs.

For women that are already pregnant, dieting during pregnancy is never recommended because a developing baby requires proper nutrition from the mother for growth and development. When a developing baby does not receive adequate amounts of nutrients, growth cannot take place, which will result in a low-birthweight infant at birth or a newborn with birth defects from malnutrition. Rather than focusing on dieting, pay close to attention to the foods that you are consuming and aim to eat wholesome and nutrient-rich foods, rather than fattening, calorie-filled and sugary foods. However, daily exercise is healthy with approval from your doctor. Walking, swimming, water aerobics and prenatal yoga are wonderful exercise choices for pregnant women.