Obesity in Pregnancy: Is this risky for my baby?

What is obesity?

Obesity and overweight are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health, as per the World Health Organisation (WHO). A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese.

Body mass index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify overweight and obesity in adults. It is defined as a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of his height in meters (kg/m²).

For adults, WHO defines overweight and obesity as follows:

• overweight is a BMI greater than or equal to 25; and
• obesity is a BMI greater than or equal to 30.

Healthy weight in pregnancy: Why it’s important?

Gaining more than the recommended amount of weight in pregnancy is associated with having a baby who is born too large, which can lead to delivery complications, cesarean delivery, and obesity during childhood.

Can being overweight or obese cause pregnancy complications?

Obesity in pregnancy puts you at risk of several serious health problems:

• Gestational diabetes is diabetes that is first diagnosed during pregnancy. This condition can increase the risk of having a cesarean delivery. Women who have had gestational diabetes also have a higher risk of having diabetes in the future, as do their children. Obese women are screened for gestational diabetes early in pregnancy and also may be screened later in pregnancy as well. Read More: Gestational Diabetes
• Preeclampsia is a high blood pressure disorder that can occur during pregnancy or after pregnancy. It is a serious illness that affects a woman’s entire body. The kidneys and liver may fail. Preeclampsia can lead to seizures, a condition called eclampsia. In rare cases, stroke can occur. Severe cases need emergency treatment to avoid these complications. The baby may need to be delivered early. Read More: Pre-Eclampsia: What to do?
• Sleep apnea is a condition in which a person stops breathing for short periods during sleep. Sleep apnea is associated with obesity. During pregnancy, sleep apnea not only can cause fatigue but also increases the risk of high blood pressure, preeclampsia, eclampsia, and heart and lung disorders.

Can being overweight or obese cause problems for your baby?

Obesity increases the risk of the following problems during pregnancy:

• Pregnancy loss—Obese women have an increased risk of pregnancy loss (miscarriage) compared with women of normal weight.
• Birth defects—Babies born to obese women have an increased risk of having birth defects, such as heart defects and neural tube defects.
• Problems with diagnostic tests—Having too much body fat can make it difficult to see certain problems with the baby’s anatomy on an ultrasound exam. Checking the baby’s heart rate during labor also may be more difficult if you are obese.
• Macrosomia—In this condition, the baby is larger than normal. This can increase the risk of the baby being injured during birth. For example, the baby’s shoulder can become stuck during delivery. Macrosomia also increases the risk of cesarean delivery. Infants born with too much body fat have a greater chance of being obese later in life.
• Preterm birth—Problems associated with a woman’s obesity, such as preeclampsia, may lead to a medically indicated preterm birth. This means that the baby is delivered early for a medical reason. Preterm babies are not as fully developed as babies who are born after 39 weeks of pregnancy. As a result, they have an increased risk of short-term and long-term health problems.
• Stillbirth—The higher the woman’s BMI, the greater the risk of stillbirth.

What should you do if you are overweight during pregnancy?

Despite the risks, you can have a healthy pregnancy if you are obese. It takes careful management of your weight, attention to diet and exercise, regular prenatal care to monitor for complications, and special considerations for your labor and delivery.

1. Plan healthy meals during pregnancy to manage Obesity in Pregnancy

Finding a balance between eating healthy foods and staying at a healthy weight is important for your health as well as your baby’s health. In the second and third trimesters, a pregnant woman needs an average of 300 extra calories a day—about the amount of calories in a glass of skimmed milk and half of a sandwich. You can get help with planning a healthy diet by talking to a nutrition counselor. Read More: Nutrition during Pregnancy

2. Exercise to maintain healthy pregnancy despite obesity

If you have never exercised before, pregnancy is a great time to start. Discuss your exercise plan with your obstetrician to make sure it is safe. Begin with as little as 5 minutes of exercise a day and add 5 minutes each week. Your goal is to stay active for 30 minutes on most—preferably all—days of the week. Walking is a good choice if you are new to exercise. Swimming is another good exercise for pregnant women. The water supports your weight so you can avoid injury and muscle strain. It also helps you stay cool. Read More: Exercise during pregnancy

FabMoms offers personalised prenatal exercise programs that are tailor-made after careful assessment of the pregnant woman. Starting with such a prenatal exercise program may be the best way to balance your capacity and pregnancy requirements.