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Obesity
and
Pregnancy
If you are an obese,
pregnant female it is strongly advised by
physicians that you do not diet during your pregnancy. During pregnancy
it is important that you supply your body and unborn baby with all the
necessary nutrients to make sure that the child is healthy. Dieting
during pregnancy does not aid this process, it is actually
counterproductive.
A pregnant woman who is at average or normal weight is advised to gain
some weight. However an overweight or obese woman is advised to
minimize the amount of weight she gains during pregnancy. One way to
achieve this is to to consume a healthy selection of foods during
pregnancy, this will benefit them as well as their unborn child.
In order to avoid weight gain it is advisable to have a healthy range
of snacks within reach to quench your hunger. The types of snacks
that are recommended include fruit, nuts, raisins, yogurt and other
similar types of healthy snacks.
If you are a pregnant overweight or obese woman you have a higher risk
of certain health conditions during pregnancy, these include
gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, premature birth and cesarean
sections.
Sadly it is a fact that women that were obese or overweight prior to
being pregnant are more likely to gain excessive weight during
pregnancy. Research has shown that over 8 out of 10 overweight or obese
women will gain 40 pounds or over during pregnancy, this is too much
weight.
Research also suggests that obese and overweight women who give birth
have a higher risk of maternal mortality during labour and delivery.
The rates of cesarean are often higher for obese women because labour
does not always come about in a timely fashion.
If a woman with normal or average weight gains more than the
recommended weight during pregnancy she is at risk of being overweight
for many years after the pregnancy, so it does not help if a woman is
overweight or obese prior to the pregnancy.
Overweight and pregnant women have a higher risk of giving birth to
babies that may also suffer from various health problems. Some of these
include a higher chance of heart defects and neural tube defects. As a
result it is advised that you aim to be at a healthy weight prior to
pregnancy.
It is advisable for overweight and obese women to speak to their doctor
in order to come up with a tailor made diet to ensure that you do not
gain an unhealthy amount of weight during pregnancy. The good thing
about eating healthily during pregnancy is that a lot of women that do
this tend to carry on eating healthily after pregnancy as well.
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