HOW BEING OVERWEIGHT AFFECTS PREGNANCY?
How being overweight affects pregnancy?
well,
Most of the times, pregnancy feels suffocating form inside out. And being overweight at this period obviously doubles the discomfort. Above and beyond that, being overweight or obese can certainly increase the risks of pregnancy complications.
In short, the more you gain weight, the more you’re likely to face complications. But what these complications actually are?
Your presence in here, answers that you’re desperate to collet the answers. So, without any dilly dally, let’s get started.
HOW TO KNOW THAT YOU’RE OVERWEIGHT DURING PREGNANCY?
Body mass index is a measure that uses your accurate height and weight to know whether your weight is ranging in the boundaries of healthy or not.
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As you’re aware, a healthy weight is vital for pregnancy. Thus, how much weight is required is totally based on your body mass index (BMI) in the pre-pregnancy period or before pregnancy.
The following data is a always-to-keep-in-mind for a woman who wants to go through safe expectant period.
Less than 18.5=underweight
18.5 to 24.9= ideal weight for carrying a baby
25 to 29.9= overweight
30 to 39.9= obese
40 is considered as severely obese
CAUSES OF EXCESSIVE WEIGHT GAIN DURING PREGNANCY
Multiple factors are there in pregnancy that lead the way to excessive weight gain during pregnancy.
Multiple studies have revealed that in USA, 1 in every 5 expectant women are known to gain more than 40 pounds during pregnancy. Which is of course more than to gain.
Excess weight however, can lead to various issues in expecting mothers. But, why do the body weight spikes up while expecting?
Well, the following reasons do elaborate the answer
EXTRA FLUIDS IN THE BODY
Pregnancy demands some extra features to form the baby such as: the extra fluids in the body. You are after, all forming a whole human being in your womb that claims some extra liquids to assist baby’s circulation, placenta and the amniotic fluid.
This process more over searched a lot of fluid in the body that results in obvious weight gain!
PREGNANCY CRAVINGS
Gulping down lots of sweets, high calory foods, junk foods et cetra by virtue of pregnancy cravings can contribute a lot to excess weight gain.
These types of eats can significantly lead your body weight to shoot up.
LACK OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES
Pregnancy is a sensitive period that claims proper rest. But, only performing inactivity and doing no exercises, no physical movements can put you in danger.
This inactivity will burn less calories, causing excess weight gain during pregnancy.
CERTAIN DISEASES
Diseases that include hypothyroidism and polycystic ovary syndrome can spike up overweight problems in pregnancy.
SOME MEDICATIONS
Apart form all, some type of medications including antidepressant or anticonvulsants immensely contribute to frequent weight issues during pregnancy.
INCREASED HORMONAL LEVELS
Pregnancy disturbs almost every function in a woman’s body, especially hormonal functions. The altered hormonal levels, however, can have significant effect on your metabolism, that can lead to notable weight gain.
INCREASED APPETITE
Increased appetite occurs in most of the pregnancies. In this condition you may eat more often or in larger quantities than you used to. And this again comes about for hormonal changes and changed eating habits.
So, when you consume more than the body requires, it eventually leads to excess weight gain in the neonatal period.
EXCESS STRESS LEVELS
Lately yet importantly, excess stress levels during pregnancy can mammothly contribute to obese issues in pregnancy.
A lab study had reported that, stress can pump up the amount of fat cells we generate. This in further, can flare up the possibilities of toxic weight gain.
On the whole these are the plenty of factors who bestow overweight problem during pregnancy.
OVERWEIGHT PREGNANCY: SYMPTOMS
Sometimes it could be difficult to know that you’re not being able to maintain a healthy weight. Especially when not calculating your BMI.
So, in this situation, you have to be very careful with your symptoms. In majority, expectant women complain to face these issues with an overweight pregnancy.
- Breathing difficulties
- Shortness of breath
- Snoring or sleep apnea
- Back and joint pain
- Fatigue or feeling of lazy
- Increased sweat
- Heartburn
HOW BEING OVERWEIGHT AFFECTS PREGNANCY
Being able to maintain a healthy wight in maternal period can pour unlimited amount of benefit, where as being fail to do so can be vicious. An underweight or overweight problems can put you and your baby at greater danger.
Referring only about obesity, you may face consequences like gestational diabetes, hypertension, preeclampsia, antepartum depression and a host of other relative problem discussed below.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Having obese or overweight problems during pregnancy magnificently increase the chances of high blood pressure. High blood pressure moreover is risky to both the mother and her child.
An uncontrolled hypertension can possibly decrease the blood flow to the placenta. This factor in further, hinders the blood flow to the baby, letting it to receive lesser oxygen and nutrition.
Further on, this abnormal bodily behavior can cause
- Low birth weight
- Slow growth rate of the fetus
- Premature birth
GESTATIONAL DIABETES
Being overweight also increases your risk to face gestational diabetes mellites- a condition when you have more sugar or glucose levels in the bloodstream.
Multiple evidences have stated that, women who are obese before pregnancy are4-8 times more probable to develop gestational diabetes.
Women bearing unmanaged diabetes in pregnancy may face major birth problem or worse the death of the baby either before or right after giving birth.
Unmanaged diabetes in pregnancy is vastly responsible for causing major heath defects of the baby later in life including
- Oral clefts
- Heart problems
- Kidney and gastrointestinal tract defects
- Limb deficiencies
- Brain and spinal defects
- PRETERM LABOR
Women who are obese are more likely to give birth via extremely preterm delivery.
Preeclampsia- a health issue affiliated with obese problem during pregnancy may cause medically indicated preterm labor.
And the majority of babies born by preterm labor are relatively premature. Underdeveloped babies do face multiple heath complications right after delivery or later in life.
These health complications include
- Frequent infections
- Feeding problems
- SIDS
- Asthma
- Developmental disabilities
DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS
Obese problems can put toll on your legs, even while the legs are already in lots of pressure by dint of the developing baby.
Carrying a lot of weight is actually taxing for the leg muscles. It can put pressure on your nerves and blood vessels including the major ones, leading to life threatening condition DVT or deep vein thrombosis.
DVT simply means blood clots formed ion the deep vein and oftentimes occur in the legs. Moreover, this condition is life threatening because the blood clots can loosen and lodge into the lings.
Besides, a BMI exceeding up to 30, doubles or triples the risks of DVT in pregnancy.
DVT influences your heath by causing vicious outcomes such as:
- Pulmonary embolism (PE)
- Strain on heart
- Venous thromboembolism (VTE)
A CESAREAN BIRTH
Obese pregnant women obtain nearly double the rate of cesarean childbirth than the normal ones.
This crops up because, women who are overweight or obese are tend to have larger than average babies.
Giving birth to a larger baby by vaginal childbirth is obvious a tough job to do. Thus, instead of a headache free natural birth, you may undergo for a c-section delivery.
c-section, additionally, has complications of its own. It has been observed that, women who are overweight are more likely to face wound infection and loosing too much blood in the course of childbirth.
The baby may also face difficulties to come out because of the extra fat around the pelvic and abdominal region.
DEPRESSION DURING PREGNANCY
Obesity is directly linked with higher depressive symptoms. The likelihood of being grief-stricken in both prenatal and postnatal period is high in obese mothers in comparison to the women who are not.
The evident reasons of it include low self-esteem, poor self-image, the fear of being judged for being fat, social isolation and more.
CAN CAUSE SLEEP APNEA
Obesity does play an evil role in the case of sleep apnea. In order to state in simple words, sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder in which the breathing repeatedly starts and stops while sleeping.
There are two major causes behind this disorder. One of them is age, and the other one is of course obesity.
With reference to obese people, fat deposits in the respiratory tract can certainly narrow the airways.
This factor, consequently translates into lessen muscle activity in these regions and further on results with hypoxic and apneic episodes.
Sleep apnea is a high-risk disorder that can provide the way to hazardous consequences. For example, sleep apnea can cause
- High blood pressure
- Gestational diabetes
- Premature delivery
- Preeclampsia
- Prevent wight loss
- Heart attack
- Abnormal heartbeats
PREGNANCY INFECTIONS
Pregnancy lowers your immune levels, making you vulnerable to various pregnancy infections.
Being obese can assist to lessen immunity, that makes the result of infection during pregnancy more visible.
It can contribute to frequent infections including
- Yeast infection
- Urinary tract infection
- Bacterial vaginosis
- Viral infections
On top of that, going through c-section with obese problems can cause wound infection or surgical site infections.
BIRTH DEFECTS
Being overweight is oner of the chief cause behind various birth defects of the newborn. Birth defects such as problems in the heart and neural tube can take place.
It has been thoroughly observed that, overweight mothers are more likely to give birth to larger babies. These larger babies, however are called macrosomic infants.
For being bigger than usual, these babies can face injuries at natural birth. For example: at labor, the baby’s shoulders can get struck.
In addition, at the time of delivery they may get struck in the birth canal, which can cause oxygen deprivation. This type of mishap can lead to major brain injuries.
Infants born with much body fat are at danger to face obese related issues later in their lives as well.
Not to mention diagnostic tests, having massive body fats can create problems when addressing the fetus’s anatomy through ultrasound examinations.
CREATE PROBLEMS IN GETTING PREGNANT
Body weights seriously influence fertility. Being overweight, obese or underweight can make bad impacts in the cases of becoming pregnant. But…
HOW DOES OVERWEIGHT AFFECT GETTING PREGNANT?
Since you know, a balanced hormonal level regulates the menstrual cycle. But being overweight can produce higher amount of leptin- a kind of hormone produced in fatty tissues.
This hormone can disrupt the overall hormonal balance and will cause reduced fertility rate. So, the more you get into the zone of obesity, the lesser is the chance of getting pregnant.
Not only this, the fat cells present in the body often produce higher estrogen levels hampering pregnancy when the body tries to ovulate.
This out-of-whack ovulation can make it harder to conceive. So, this is how overweight affects getting pregnant.
CAN CAUSE STILLBIRTH
While both miscarriage and stillbirth describe pregnancy loss, but a stillbirth is known as the death of the baby after 20 weeks of gestational period.
The loss of baby at the time of delivery is also considered as stillbirth.
In accordance with recent evidence, being overweight during pregnancy nearly twofold the risk of stillbirths. This may possibly happen for disturbing reasons like an uncontrollable blood pressure and placental disorder.
Plus, obesity is affiliated with gestational diabetes that can cause stillbirth as well.
CAN CAUSE CARDIAC DYSFUNCTION
Not least of all, being overweight affects pregnancy by causing cardiac dysfunction. This occurs because fatty materials can build up in your arteries.
It even leads to structural and function changes of your heart causing cardiac dysfunction. This type of condition can happen in heart failure and increased heart rate in 3rd trimester.
Other effects of cardiac dysfunction include
- Preeclampsia
- Premature Birth
- Short gestational Age
- Heart Failure
So, these are the 12 menacing definitions of how overweight affects pregnancy. If we demonstrate all the effects of being obese in expectant mothers then the list will go like
WHY OBESITY AFFECTS PREGNANCY
Obesity possesses higher possibilities in affecting pregnancy since it can cause
- High blood pressure
- Gestational Diabetes
- Preterm Labor
- Deep Vein Thrombosis
- C-section Child Birth
- Depression During pregnancy
- Sleep Apnea
- Pregnancy Infections
- Birth Defeats
- Infertility
- Still Birth
- Cardiac Dysfunction
The above-mentioned ones are the topnotch effects of obesity during pregnancy.
You must have thrilled out by knowing these hard-to-believe mishaps of overweight during pregnancy. And must have planned to avoid them by any means whatsoever.
Only if you have determined to stay steer clear of these complications then these below tips will sincerely help you out.
HOW TO AVOID OVERWEIGHT DURING PREGNANCY
Latterly nobody wants to call out problems on its own, especially during pregnancy. It could be damaging if you just sit down and gulp down calorie day and night.
Moreover, it takes only a tiny effort to be healthy. You can do these below stated safe activities in order to get rid of overweight while expecting.
START OFF PREGNANCY WITH A HEALTHY WEIGHT
Pregnancy demands complex changes in your body. Oftentimes these symptoms, mostly hormonal changes can contribute a lot to pregnancy weight gain.
Thus, starting your pregnancy off with a healthy body mass won’t lead to vast weight gain that happens in unplanned pregnancies.
But if you already have crossed this particular phase, then read on! Because further discussed tips work anytime in pregnancy.
START SAYING ACTIVE ASAP
Instead of just taking rest and staying inactive, choose the habit that make you move.
Staying active more often can born excess calories that results with lesser chances of toxic weight gain.
You can choose fun activities such as: Doing exercises, yoga, swimming or just walking during pregnancy.
DRINK UP WATER
Drinking enough water is important during pregnancy. It is 100% calory free that certainly helps in burning calories.
Not only this, drinking the required amount of water helps in the development of the placenta and amniotic fluid.
So even if you are tired of frequent urination, drink up water no matter what. It worth it!
INTAKE BALANCED MEALS
Having balanced meals is vital to maintain a healthy weight. So, choose a diet plan for pregnancy that is well balanced and trust worthy like this one.
DON’T STOP, IF YOU’RE ALREADY MOVING
If you already are in the habit of staying healthy then don’t stop! And don’t rush as well. Just keep that healthy pace going.
GET CONTROL OVER YOUR PREGNANCY CRAVINGS
Bad eats bad results. As simple as that!
Pregnancy can introduce a number of food cravings such as pickles, junk food, spicy eatables and sweets as well.
The overeating of high calories food can make your weight gain problem more complex. So instead of just giving up on your urges, get control over it or make it constructive.
You should add foods that are rich in fiber. These foods can make you feel full longer, hampering the continuous calorie intake throughout the day.
Also, with that they can aid constipation in pregnancy that wards off toxic weight gain.
GET REGULAR PRENATAL CARE
Regular prenatal care is one of the essential do’s for a mother-to-be. It gives you regular updates about your current health condition. Plus, it makes you aware to focus on your weight management. So, be mindful about your prenatal tests and don’t skip at all.
GET LEARNED ABOUT WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
Nobody’s body is the same, thus neither the corresponding pregnancies. Talking about weight management with your healthcare provider or doctor will provide you better knowledge. They will help you to set a target for a particular weight for the best outcomes.
EAT HEALTHY FOOD
How overweight affects pregnancy is entirely based on what you consume.
Eating high calorie foods can spike up obesity related issues. So instead of doing that, eat foods that can benefit you. You should include fresh foods, veggies, whole grains, low fat dairy products, and unsweetened juices in order to improve your health in conjunction with the baby’s.
DON’T DIET
Some diet plans can cut off the daily requirement of nutrition intake. It can hinder the development of the baby and can bring unsatisfying results. So, choose a perfect diet plan according to your health. And don’t stay at the same weight or lose pounds during pregnancy.
Considering everything these above-mentioned easy tips give a strong resistance overweight or obese problem during pregnancy.
CAN OBESITY DURING PREGNANCY AFFECT THE CHILD LATER IN LIFE
Maternal obesity is a topic to take sincerely because it is linked to the health of a child later in life. Babies born from obese mothers are exposed to abnormal outcomes in the future.
These babies are more likely to experience heart disease and increased risk of diabetes. And it can cause obese problems of the baby both in childhood or adulthood period.
Obesity is considered to affects mother’s health as well. It can cause heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and issues with losing weight in the postpartum period.
IS IT IMPORTANT TO LOSE WEIGHT BEFORE PREGNANCY?
A healthy weight in pre pregnancy period can increase the chances of getting pregnant while being obese can decrease it.
To be frank you are going to achieve extra pounds in gestation. So being overweight before getting pregnant can be a little suffocating and problematic.
So, you should lose a little weight before planning to finally be a mother.
SHOULD YOU INTAKE MEDICATIONS TO LOSE WEIGHT?
Medications can’t replace either physical activity or healthy eating habits in the case of losing weight. Moreover, many studies have reported that weight loss medicine can adversely affect your health.
These health issues may include nausea, constipation, insomnia, dizziness, vomiting, dry mouth and headache.
So, don’t take any kind of over-the-counter medications for weight loss during pregnancy. You can only do that if your doctor asks you to.
SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION
Can you be overweight and still have a healthy baby?
Despite all the ill-outcomes you can have a healthy baby even if overweight. Since you’ve gained more than requirement, you get to pay attention to weight management, have balanced meals, get regular prenatal care, do exercise and get offered special consideration in order to have a healthy pregnancy.
Can walking too much affect pregnancy?
Walking is a safe physical activity for pregnancy. It can ward off pregnancy complications including being overweight, gestational diabetes, high blood pressure etc. However, walking to the point of exhaustion can result in shortness of breath, discomfort and rapid heart rate. But walking too much doesn’t affect pregnancy.
IN CLOSING
All is said and all is done so all in all this article ends here. I am so joyous by getting informed that you’re still tuning in and learning. What can be more satisfying than this?
And I also hope that you came to know a lot about how being overweight affects pregnancy and the measures to stave off this issue.
Are there any doubts holding you back to implement these tips?
If there are then let me know about them in the comment section below. I’d love to solve your issues. By the end, pregarlybody wishes you a blissful pregnancy ahead.
