Obesity and Childbearing: Could You Be Hurting Your Baby With Too Much Of A Good Thing?

Reproduction is a necessity for the continuing of every species and in order to reproduce, one must eat. However, the old saying “eating for two” while pregnant could be doing more harm than good. In America today, obesity is a much larger problem than ever before. According to Alison Steube, M.D., many women are gaining too much weight during pregnancy, which can lead to complications for both mom and baby. But, what is too much weight? Dr. Steube, Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, says it’s “35 pounds or more for a woman with a normal body mass index, or BMI. Gaining too much weight is linked with… higher odds that both mom and child will be obese later in life.”

Dr. Garrett Lam, who serves as the Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona says “Obesity affects pregnancy in profound ways.” He discusses some of the complications that can occur during pregnancy. He mentions that ultrasound technicians have a harder time dating pregnancies and getting a good look at the fetus if the mother is obese. This means due dates and trimesters may be inaccurate. Also, Dr. Lam says, “It not only increases the risk for underlying diseases such as preeclampsia and diabetes, but it can even lead to… fetal defects such as spina bifida.” Laci Brown who is a Licensed Practical Nurse in Labor & Delivery at Jackson County Memorial Hospital in Altus, Oklahoma, says the most common complication during the birth is shoulder dystocia. “The baby comes down and the mother has enough skin that it’s hard to do a maneuver where you put your fist into the pelvis to remove the shoulder below the pelvis and we end up calling it a turtle baby. So we end up having to go for an emergency C-section to get the child out.”

The obesity rate in the United States has risen to dangerous proportions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately one in three American adults are obese and “17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years are obese.” Oklahoma is below the national average for population obesity, but not by much with a 30.4% obesity rate.

What does all of this really mean? James L. Lindsey, M.D., found in his research that “A meta-analysis of 96 population-based studies found that maternal overweight and obesity was the highest-ranking modifiable risk for stillbirth.” In addition, he says that preexisting diabetes and hypertension are also important contributors to stillbirth. This is important because hypertension, or abnormally high blood pressure, is a major part of preeclampsia, which was mentioned above.

So what can be done to ensure maintenance of a healthy weight during pregnancy? Keeping up with a regular exercise routine which can be modified in intensity as the pregnancy progresses is important. The most important factor, however, is diet. Amanda Doyle, a Junior in Nutrition at the University of Oklahoma, says, “Pregnant women need to eat a high fiber diet that includes at least five servings of fruits and vegetables. They also need to eat a higher level of folic acid so that the baby’s spine develops properly. They should stay away from processed foods that are made with a lot of additives, as well as caffeine.” Also, it is never too early after the child is born to begin preventing obesity and instill it in their mind at a young age. Chancie Robbins, who is a mother of three, explained that she “always encourages her children to do activities outside and if it’s too hot or they just want to play a video game, I will only allow them to play on a Wii console, so that they are still being active.”

So there you have it, American moms, eat well and encourage activity so you and your child can avoid becoming part of the statistic.