Normally, among women, one of the most talked about subjects is all about incredible and miraculous diets to lose weight and shed those stubborn extra pounds that just won’t budge from the scale. When you start planning to get pregnant, that’s when the concern really comes, not only about your current weight, but how much you will weigh by the end of the pregnancy, and losing weight to get pregnant becomes not just a matter of aesthetics, but a matter of health.
In the minds of most women everything is fair game to lose the unwanted kilos, and they go in search of miracle diets, fat-burning teas, and those much-coveted weight loss pills that promise wonders in a short time. Then there are those who try to plan better, join a gym, exercise, and start a healthy diet or even a proper nutritional re-education to lose weight in a healthy way in order to get pregnant. When a woman becomes pregnant, her doctor orders a massive battery of tests to check her health, after all, she needs to be healthy to carry a baby. A large number of women would need to lose weight to get pregnant, but they already start the pregnancy overweight, and if there’s not a stricter control, she could reach obesity during pregnancy which can result in gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, and even increase the risk of postpartum hemorrhage.
Another very important detail is that obesity can hinder the dream of getting pregnant, as studies show that couples with overweight have more difficulty conceiving since obesity decreases fertility. When pregnancy is achieved, there’s a greater chance the baby will be born above average weight and with a high probability of becoming obese in early childhood. Another factor relates to childbirth, since the vast majority of babies of obese mothers, because they are born heavier than normal, must be delivered by cesarean section, making natural birth through the vaginal canal impossible, as the baby’s size can pose risks for both. In addition, statistics on deaths during childbirth show that most happen with obese women.
I’ve Gotten Pregnant While Overweight, Now What?
When pregnancy happens without planning and the woman is already overweight, the care must be doubled. In terms of diet, control is essential, especially with fatty foods and sweets, which are highly caloric. Restrictive diets are not recommended, as carbohydrates and nutrient-rich foods are necessary, and these are often cut from diets, but lacking these foods during pregnancy can compromise the baby’s development.
The ideal is to talk to your obstetrician, who will prescribe a balanced diet or even refer you to a specialist who can guide you, such as an endocrinologist or nutritionist. In addition to a healthy diet, there are physical exercises recommended for pregnant women, such as water aerobics and light walking, which, besides helping control weight, will help when it’s time for labor. Obviously, before starting any exercise, you need to get clearance from the doctor overseeing your prenatal care.
See also: Do Vitamins Help with Getting Pregnant?
Photo: tomfreakz
