During pregnancy, it is very important to take care of our state of health. This includes taking proper nutrition and controlling weight gain during this stage, and not falling into the famous "eat for two", which can cause us to overeat and that may increase the risk of complications in the future.
For some time, there are some established recommendations as to the amount of recommended weight that each woman should acquire in pregnancy according to her current weight and her health status, that is, the number of kilos that were advised to increase at most.
One of those recommendations included not losing weight or losing weight during pregnancy, however, a new study suggests that in the case of women who are very obese, the ideal would be to lose a few kilos. We share the results of the study and the recommended amounts.
Currently, it is recommended not to lose weight during pregnancy because this could bring complications to the baby, however, in this new study, which had data from more than 52,000 women, it was found that Actually, obese women should lose a few pounds in pregnancy to have a healthier baby.
Exists a strong relationship between the weight of the mother and the baby, because low-weight mothers tend to have smaller babies, while mothers who have morbid obesity have larger babies.
Both babies They are born with a higher risk of presenting health problems such as heart failure, hypertension, obesity and diabetes in their adult life, compared to babies born with a weight within the normal or healthy range.
Taking into account the body mass index (BMI) prior to pregnancy, the weight gain during the same and the weight of the baby at birth, analyzed the data and found the ideal amount of weight gain that each woman should have. They found that the current recommendations are correct for those women who have a normal BMI, however they are not correct for those who are underweight or obese.
According to the study, the recommendations would be the following:
- Women who have a BMI of 17 should gain 22 kilos, instead of the current recommendation of 12.5 to 18 kilos.
- Obese women with a BMI of 32 should gain 3.6 kilos, instead of the current recommendation of 5 to 9 kilos.
- Very obese women with a BMI of 40 should lose 6 kilos.
This new study has revealed the optimal weight gain that every woman who is not in a normal weight range should have, to balance the risk of having a very large or very small baby. With these findings it is expected that doctors and health staff can provide better personalized recommendations according to the needs of each woman.
Remember that It is important to consult with your doctor your health status and the recommendations that you should followWell, every woman is different.
