How can obesity affect a pregnancy?
Obesity increases the risk of the following problems during pregnancy:
Birth defects—Babies born to women who are obese have an increased risk of having birth defects, such as heart defects and neural tube defects (NTDs)
Problems with diagnostic tests—Having too much body fat can make it difficult to see certain problems with the fetus’s anatomy on an ultrasound exam. Checking the fetus’s heart rate during labor also may be more difficult if you are obese.
Macrosomia—In this condition, the fetus is larger than normal. This can increase the risk of injury during birth. For example, the fetus’s shoulder can get stuck after the head is delivered. Macrosomia also increases the risk of cesarean birth. Infants born with too much body fat have a greater chance of being obese later in life.
Preterm birth—Problems associated with a woman’s obesity, such as preeclampsia, may lead to a medically indicated preterm birth. This means that the baby is delivered early for a medical reason. Preterm babies are not as fully developed as babies who are born after 39 weeks of pregnancy. As a result, preterm babies have an increased risk of short-term and long-term health problems.
Stillbirth—The higher the woman’s BMI, the greater the risk of stillbirth.
How much should I exercise during pregnancy?
If you have never exercised before, pregnancy is a great time to start. Discuss your exercise plan with your ob-gyn to make sure it is safe. Begin with as little as 5 minutes of exercise a day and add 5 minutes each week. Your goal is to stay active for 30 minutes on most—preferably all—days of the week.
Walking is a good choice if you are new to exercise. Swimming is another good exercise for pregnant women. The water supports your weight so you can avoid injury and muscle strain. It also helps you stay cool. Read Exercise During Pregnancy for more advice.
How do I plan healthy meals during pregnancy?
Finding a balance between eating healthy foods and staying at a healthy weight is important for your health and your fetus's health. In the second and third trimesters, a pregnant woman needs an average of 300 extra calories a day—about the number of calories in a glass of skim milk and half of a sandwich. You can get help with planning a healthy diet by talking to a nutrition counselor. Help also can be found at the MyPlate website.
How will my weight be monitored during pregnancy?
Your weight should be tracked at each prenatal visit. The growth of your fetus also will be checked. If you are gaining less than the recommended guidelines, and if your fetus is growing well, you do not have to increase your weight gain to catch up to the guidelines. If your fetus is not growing well, changes may need to be made to your diet and exercise plan.
How does obesity affect labor and delivery?
Women who are overweight and obese have longer labors than women of normal weight. It can be harder to monitor the fetus during labor. For these reasons, obesity during pregnancy increases the likelihood of having a cesarean birth. If a cesarean birth is needed, the risks of infection, bleeding, and other complications are greater for a woman who is obese than for a woman of normal weight.
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