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Medical Video: 2nd Trimester Q&A with Belly to Baby
When you are pregnant, you don't need to eat twice the normal portion on the grounds "eat for two people". Research shows that women who weigh more than recommended during pregnancy have obese children that can lead to risk factors for heart disease at the age of 9.
It is suspected that many women feel that pregnancy is a time when they have to and can eat more than usual. Further studies are needed to find out whether there is a certain weight that is considered optimal so it will not increase the risk of low birth weight babies and does not cause negative effects on mothers and babies at birth and later in their lives.
Compared to pregnant women with ideal body weight, pregnant women weighing more than the doctor recommends usually have children who:
⇒ body mass index (BMI) greater than 1-2 kg
⇒ waist is 2 cm bigger
⇒ body fat more than 1 kg
⇒ systolic blood pressure is 1 mmHg higher
⇒ the level of inflammation in the blood is 15 percent higher
⇒ "good" cholesterol level is lower 1.16009 mg / dl
This increase in body weight and risk factors is seen in women who increase 500 grams or more per week after the first trimester.
The study is considered the most detailed examination of the relationship between body weight before or during pregnancy with childhood weight and cardiovascular risk factors, the researchers said.
Based on healthy guidelines, women who are considered to be underweight with a body mass index below 18.5, must add 14 to 20 kg during pregnancy. Those who have normal weight, BMI 18.5-24.9, must add 12 to 17 kg. Fat women with a BMI of 25-29.9 can only add 7 to 12 kg. Obese women with a BMI of more than 30 can only add 5 to 10 kg.
Pregnancy and weight during pregnancy are complicated because they reflect how the baby grows, how much water is around the baby, how much maternal circulation has been expanded and how much weight / fat the mother has affected the baby. This may be related to the health of the mother and baby during pregnancy, around the time of birth, and the health of the baby later on.
The results showed that when trying to exercise to achieve ideal body weight during pregnancy, we also need to consider the effects on children in the future, as well as their effects at birth. But, still need further research on optimal weight during pregnancy for the best results in the short and long term for mothers and children.
Experts also recommend experiments in obese pregnant women and randomly assign half of them to receive standard prenatal care and the rest to receive standard care plus specialists who help maintain a healthy weight. This will answer more questions than observational studies like this.
