Being overweight during pregnancy can be harmful to your and your baby. The more overweight you are, the greater your risk for complications. However there are certain steps you can take before and during pregnancy to reduce your risk of complications.
 

 

Am i overweight or obese ?

 
You can determine if you are overweight or  obese based on your body mass index BMI. BMI calculations is based on weight and height.  Your pre-pregnancy BMI (that is your BMI before pregnancy ) can be used to determine if you are overweight or not.

A pre pregnancy BMI of 25 to 29.9 means you are overweight.  Being overweight means you have an excess body weight that comes from muscles, fat, bone and water.

A pre pregnancy BMI of 30 or higher means you are obese. Being obese means you have an excess amount of body fat.

You  can calculate your BMI using this BMI calculator or talking to your healthcare provider.

What kind of pregnancy complications can overweight or obese pregnant women face ?

 
You are at higher risk of infertility if you are overweight  or obese before pregnancy. Obesity can also affect fertility treatments such as vitro fertilization (also called IVF). IVF is a process in which  an egg and sperm are combined in the lab to produce an embryo which is then put in the uterus.

Other complications  you are likely encounter include the following :

• gestational diabetes
• high blood pressure or preeclampsia
• blood clotting problems
• miscarriage
• stillbirth
• cesarean birth

 
You may also have trouble losing weight after the delivery of your baby.

Being obese during pregnancy also increase your risk for the following :

• infections during pregnancy such as urinary tract infection
• obstructive sleep apnea
• blood clot problem called venous thromboembolism (also called VTE)
• may go in labor early, have prolonged labor or may need to be induced
• have a cesarean birth

What  problems will the baby of an overweight or obese pregnant woman face ?

 
If you are overweight or obese during pregnancy, your baby is likely to face the following problems :

• birth defects including neural tube defects
• premature birth
• macrosomia which means the baby weighs more than 9 pounds, 15 ounces at birth

What can i do to increase my chances of having a healthy pregnancy and baby ?

Getting a preconception checkup is a healthy way to start your pregnancy.  This will help your health care provider find you healthy ways to lose weight before getting pregnant . This may include eating healthy and staying active. If you are thinking of weight loss surgery, you have to talk to your doctor about your options.

Other things you can do include the following :

• getting an early and regular prenatal checkup
• eating healthy
• staying active
• discussing with your health care provider how much weight you need to gain during pregnancy

 
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