Two Big Reasons To Lose Weight Before Getting Pregnant
These days there's a lot of press being given to the fact that many of us are overweight or even obese.
There are also some alarming statistics about the rate of autism spectrum disorder in U.
S.
kids.
According to some new research, the problem may start long before we reach school age; apparently how much you weigh when you get pregnant is linked to the development and health of your baby.
Obesity and Nutritional Deficiency One study has linked the weight of women before getting pregnant to a nutritional lack in the growing fetus.
Researchers at the University of Illinois followed women considered obese throughout their pregnancies.
They found that no matter how healthy the expectant moms' diet during pregnancy, fat accumulated in the placenta instead of being transferred to the baby to support its growth.
There are fewer nutrients in the placenta of an obese mother, as well, with as much as half that found in the placenta of a mother at a healthy weight.
Babies born to obese women tend to be smaller because they get less nutrition while in the womb.
Obesity and Autism Not only is obesity tied to nutritional deficiency in growing babies, study results show that obese women are 67 percent more likely to give birth to an autistic child than a mother of healthy weight.
Pediatrics magazine recently published the results of this study, whose researchers caution that the results aren't showing a direct link between obesity and autism.
It is definitely cause for concern, however, particularly in light of rising autism spectrum disorder rates in the U.
S.
, which are currently estimated at 1 in 88 American children.
Anything that raises the odds of having an autistic child bears attention.
Having a Healthy Pregnancy Every woman wants to have a healthy pregnancy and, consequently, a healthy baby.
There have been plenty of fads in past years aimed at expectant women who do their best to have the healthiest and smartest child; ingesting fish oil supplements and listening to classical music while pregnant being just two of them.
But their efficacy is questionable at best.
The truth is that the best advice is still based on good old fashioned precepts: be as healthy as possible before, during and after pregnancy in order to best ensure the health of your developing baby in the womb and beyond.
That means eating a balanced diet, exercising on a regular basis, and paying attention to things like posture, which can have a profound effect on balance, respiration, and overall health.
It takes a long time to reverse the effects of obesity.
The best advice for obese women who wish to get pregnant is to lose weight before attempting to conceive in order to have the healthiest baby.
That may mean postponing your pregnancy but in the end, it's the only real way to greatly reduce the risk of nutritional deficiency and the incidence of autism spectrum disorder - two of the most disturbing, growing trends in the United States.
There are also some alarming statistics about the rate of autism spectrum disorder in U.
S.
kids.
According to some new research, the problem may start long before we reach school age; apparently how much you weigh when you get pregnant is linked to the development and health of your baby.
Obesity and Nutritional Deficiency One study has linked the weight of women before getting pregnant to a nutritional lack in the growing fetus.
Researchers at the University of Illinois followed women considered obese throughout their pregnancies.
They found that no matter how healthy the expectant moms' diet during pregnancy, fat accumulated in the placenta instead of being transferred to the baby to support its growth.
There are fewer nutrients in the placenta of an obese mother, as well, with as much as half that found in the placenta of a mother at a healthy weight.
Babies born to obese women tend to be smaller because they get less nutrition while in the womb.
Obesity and Autism Not only is obesity tied to nutritional deficiency in growing babies, study results show that obese women are 67 percent more likely to give birth to an autistic child than a mother of healthy weight.
Pediatrics magazine recently published the results of this study, whose researchers caution that the results aren't showing a direct link between obesity and autism.
It is definitely cause for concern, however, particularly in light of rising autism spectrum disorder rates in the U.
S.
, which are currently estimated at 1 in 88 American children.
Anything that raises the odds of having an autistic child bears attention.
Having a Healthy Pregnancy Every woman wants to have a healthy pregnancy and, consequently, a healthy baby.
There have been plenty of fads in past years aimed at expectant women who do their best to have the healthiest and smartest child; ingesting fish oil supplements and listening to classical music while pregnant being just two of them.
But their efficacy is questionable at best.
The truth is that the best advice is still based on good old fashioned precepts: be as healthy as possible before, during and after pregnancy in order to best ensure the health of your developing baby in the womb and beyond.
That means eating a balanced diet, exercising on a regular basis, and paying attention to things like posture, which can have a profound effect on balance, respiration, and overall health.
It takes a long time to reverse the effects of obesity.
The best advice for obese women who wish to get pregnant is to lose weight before attempting to conceive in order to have the healthiest baby.
That may mean postponing your pregnancy but in the end, it's the only real way to greatly reduce the risk of nutritional deficiency and the incidence of autism spectrum disorder - two of the most disturbing, growing trends in the United States.
