Pegnancy and Maternal obesity

Pregnancy and body weight

Birth of a child definitely one brightest events in womans life. But pregnancy brings often additional weight, which young mommy isnt happy about.

On the matter of health, it is very important to loose weight as soon as possible after giving birth .

Scientific researches have proven, that too much extra pounds after giving birth is a risk for both - the child and the mother. It may cause miscarry and a need for ceasarean section




Researches have proven that , that big weight when giving birth may cause being fat later on, too.
It is not important how many pounds are lost before pregnancy, every lost pound helps too keep your and your child healty.

Pegnancy and Maternal obesity
Compared to normal-weight women, obese women have an increased risk of infertility and pregnancy complications. The most consistently described pregnancy complications are hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes mellitus, thromboembolic events, and cesarean section. Fetal and neonatal complications may include congenital malformations, macrosomia, and shoulder dystocia. The literature suggests that women with a body mass index (BMI) 30 have approximately double the risk of having a child with a neural tube defect (NTD) compared to normal-weight women, and the increased risk associated with higher maternal body weight does not appear to be modified by folic acid supplementation. The Public Affairs Committee of the Teratology Society supports the public health initiatives identified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2004 and the research initiatives identified by the National Institutes of Health in 2004. The Public Affairs Committee recommends that clinicians counsel women about appropriate caloric intake and exercise and that health-care providers educate parents about appropriate childhood nutrition. Breast-feeding should be encouraged based on evidence of a protective effect against childhood obesity, as well as other health advantages.


Fetal origins of obesity

The worldwide epidemic of obesity continues unabated. Obesity is notoriously difficult to treat, and, thus, prevention is critical. A new paradigm for prevention, which evolved from the notion that environmental factors in utero may influence lifelong health, has emerged in recent years. A large number of epidemiological studies have demonstrated a direct relationship between birth weight and BMI attained in later life. Although the data are limited by lack of information on potential confounders, these associations seem robust. Possible mechanisms include lasting changes in proportions of fat and lean body mass, central nervous system appetite control, and pancreatic structure and function. Additionally, lower birth weight seems to be associated with later risk for central obesity, which also confers increased cardiovascular risk. This association may be mediated through changes in the hypothalamic pituitary axis, insulin secretion and sensing, and vascular responsiveness. The combination of lower birth weight and higher attained BMI is most strongly associated with later disease risk. We are faced with the seeming paradox of increased adiposity at both ends of the birth weight spectrum-higher BMI with higher birth weight and increased central obesity with lower birth weight. Future research on molecular genetics, intrauterine growth, growth trajectories after birth, and relationships of fat and lean mass will elucidate relationships between early life experiences and later body proportions. Prevention of obesity starting in childhood is critical and can have lifelong, perhaps multigenerational, impact.


Structured diet and physical activity prevent postpartum weight retention

Postpregnancy weight retention contributes to the near-epidemic prevalence of obesity in the United States. This study examines the impact of an individualized, structured diet and physical activity intervention on weight loss in overweight women during the first year postpartum. METHODS: Forty overweight postpartum women were randomized to either a structured (STR) or a self-directed (SELF) intervention. Measurements included body weight, percent body fat, daily caloric intake, habitual physical activity, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Subjects in STR received individualized diet and physical activity prescriptions derived from baseline measurements. They met weekly for the first 12 weeks and kept daily food and activity diaries. Subjects in SELF received a single 1-hour educational session about diet and activity. RESULTS: Only 23 of 40 participants remained in the study at 1 year postpartum. Of those, STR (n = 13) had a significant weight loss (7.3 kg, p < 0.01), a significant decrease in percent body fat (6%, p < 0.01), and no change in fat-free mass. SELF (n = 10) had no significant change in weight, percent body fat, or fat-free mass. CONCLUSIONS: Women who committed to this one class per week for 12 weeks postpartum had a high likelihood of successful weight loss that persisted at 1 year. Women who were overweight before pregnancy were unlikely to lose the pregnancy-related weight without the help of a formal intervention. This suggests that healthcare professionals should strongly encourage postpartum women to enroll in a structured diet and exercise program.