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Ask Our Expert on Pregnancy and Child Birth
Q: I knew that gaining too much weight during pregnancy was unhealthy, but now a study shows women who gained weight between pregnancies increased their risk of complications. Can you tell me more about this?Ask Our Expert About Weight Gain between Pregnancies About Our ExpertKara M. Coassolo, M.D., is a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Lehigh Valley Health Network.
Q: I knew that gaining too much weight during pregnancy was unhealthy, but now a study shows women who gained weight between pregnancies increased their risk of complications. Can you tell me more about this?A: The study examined the health records of 150,000 women in Sweden who gave birth to their first and second children between 1992 and 2001. Women who gained even as little as seven pounds increased their risk for complications during pregnancy and delivery, even if the weight gain did not put them in the overweight category on the Body Mass Index (BMI). Those women had higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, Cesarean section, stillbirth and delivering a large baby. The rates of complications increased proportionally in women who gained more weight and decreased in women who lost weight. Q: Are these findings applicable to women in the United States?A: Since our population is much more diverse than Sweden’s, we cannot assume these findings would be exactly the same if we were to do a similar study here. The research looked at medical records, and did not gather information from women while they were actually between pregnancies, so other factors may have been overlooked. More research needs to be done, and that research may show that women in this country who gain weight between pregnancies may have even higher rates of complications. This is because the general population in Sweden is healthier than that of the United States. We have much higher rates of obesity, hypertension, diabetes and pregnancy complications to begin with. I see this study is a wake-up call for women in the United States who are planning a pregnancy. Q: So if I am planning a pregnancy, what should I do to minimize my risk of complications?A: Discuss your intentions with your family physician or gynecologist. Evaluate any health problems you already have. If you are overweight, lose weight before becoming pregnant. Improve your overall health by eating a balanced diet and getting exercise each day. Women who breastfeed their babies lose weight quicker and easier than women who don’t. This page last updated 10/15/08 05:36 PM
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