Almost half of pregnant women in Spain are overweight or obese and these figures are not far from those we can find in other places in the world. For this reason, and because often during pregnancy it is no longer possible to act to lose weight, different medical societies have warned of the importance for women to prevent overweight before becoming pregnant.
If in the life of all people being overweight or obese involves certain health risks, also if you are pregnant and gain a lot of weight there are risks to your health and that of the baby: hypertension, preeclampsia, diabetes, circulatory problems, more complicated births , risk of malformations ...
According to the figures presented last 'Day of the Fight against Obesity 2016' by the Spanish Society for the Study of Obesity (SEEDO), the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition (SEEN) and the Spanish Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics (SEGO) ), currently 22.2% of pregnant women in Spain are obese and 23% are overweight.
Weight control is essential before and during pregnancy, with beneficial consequences on the pregnancy itself and on the baby's health, but women are often not well informed about this point. Therefore, many do not even consider losing weight before pregnancy, a measure that would be very effective in preventing problems.
In fact, the preconception visit to the gynecologist is especially recommended before achieving pregnancy, especially in the case of chronic diseases and women who are overweight or obese.
Later, once pregnant, you have to go to the different medical controls and monitor weight gain closely, that although it is not the same for all women (there is no single ideal weight gain), it can be assessed in each case individually and we must try to follow the recommendations.
In general, the Institute of Medicine of the United States recommends obese women to only gain between 5 and 9 kilograms, while women who are slightly overweight should increase between 6.8 and 11 kilos.
Experts remember that an obese woman who becomes pregnant or who gains more than 12 kilos in pregnancy has twice the risk of spontaneous abortion, three times the risk of perinatal mortality, three times the risk of gestational diabetes, five times the risk of arterial hypertension and nine times more risk of preeclamsia and ultimately more complications during the same pregnancy, childbirth and for the fetus.
But what can the woman in this situation do? It's not too late. We remind you that there are ways to carry a healthy pregnancy if you are overweight, food and exercise rules that will keep us healthier and that will be more effective as soon as you start them (even before pregnancy): eat a varied diet, rich in fruits, vegetables , avoiding foods high in fat and sugar, avoiding sedentary lifestyle and practicing regular physical activity ...
All in order to keep obesity at bay, before and during pregnancy, so that we have a healthier pregnancy and childbirth, without complications and that our baby is born and grows healthier.
