Pregnant women are generally recommended to lose weight or maintain healthy weight to avoid complications in child birth and for the health of their baby. But now they are being told specifically to lose weight if they plan to conceive or are pregnant to protect the health of their future child.
As directed by Royal College of Obstretritians and Gynaecologists England, GPs will now be encouraged to weigh female patients during routine appointments such as when they go in for a prescription for the pill.
Moreover, women who are found to be overweight or obese will be advised to slim to the normal range before they start trying to conceive.
The guidelines from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists are being issued to doctors in the UK due to rising levels of obesity and Type 2 diabetes in adults and children.
The college is one of the most influential medical organizations in the country and represents 6,000 doctors specialising in childbirth and women’s health. A spokesman stressed that the guidance aims to empower women to take charge of their health prior to becoming pregnant.
The study also reveals that pregnant women who gain excessive weight during pregnancy double the risk of life-threatening diseases and obesity in their babies. They can also develop Type 2 diabetes when they grow up.
It aims to highlight that being overweight or obese ‘does increase the risk of complications to both you and your baby’. These risks include blood clots in the legs and lungs (thromboses), gestational diabetes, high blood pressure and the life-threatening condition pre-eclampsia, and mental health problems.
Women, however, are advised to stay away from extreme dieting or weight loss pills to lose weight during pregnancy. It can harm the health of your baby so it is highly recommended to stay away from extreme ways of losing weight.
Instead opt for healthy ways and make the right lifestyle changes including eating right and exercising to lose or maintain a healthy weight during pregnancy.
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