Pregnancy no excuse to pile on the pounds…
The official guidelines for pregnancy weight gain are about to lose a few pounds, in the wake of new research suggesting that current advice doesn’t account for the obesity epidemic.
The current recommendation, developed by the Institute of Medicine almost 20 years ago, is that women should put on at least 15 pounds during pregnancy – there is no upper weight guideline. However, many experts point out that this advice was based on data gathered in the 1970s and 80s, when obesity rates weren’t as high and low birthweight, due to poor nutrition, was more common.
Piling on the pounds in pregnancy raises your risk of hypertension, gestational diabetes and needing a cesarean delivery. Your child is also at higher risk of being obese by 3 years of age
The reality now is that inadequate weight gain isn’t an issue – in fact, statistics indicate that almost half of pregnant women gain more than the recommended amount of weight. This has potentially serious implications for their pregnancy and birth: pregnant women who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of miscarrying or of developing high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. Cesarean rates are also higher in this grouping. They may also find it difficult to shed the extra pounds after their baby is born. It can have disadvantages for children too – another recent study from Harvard Medical School revealed that the children of women who match or exceed the current guidelines for weight gain in pregnancy are four times as likely to be overweight at 3 years of age. High blood pressure is also more common in children whose moms ate for 10.
According to the 1990 guidelines, women with a normal body mass index (BMI) were encouraged to gain 25-35 pounds but women with a high BMI were advised to keep theirr weight gain at 15-25 pounds. The new findings, from research carried out at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, indicate that the amount of weight you put on should depend on what you weighed going into your pregnancy. It suggests that overweight and obese women may benefit from gaining no extra weight at all in pregnancy, or from actually losing weight.
Newly-expectant women or women planning a pregnancy can expect the official guidelines to change in the future as the Institute of Medicine considers the new research. In the meantime, aim for the lower end of the current weight gain recommendations unless your obstetrician advises otherwise. Avoid junk food in favor of a diet low in sugars and saturated fats, and engage in low-impact exercise, such as walking, swimming or yoga.
And further on weight: a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health suggests that general weight gain between your first and second pregnancy may increase the possibility that your second child will be a boy. However, the study’s authors advise women not to use weight gain as a means of influencing their baby’s sex, since it may have a negative effect on their health in pregnancy.