Epidemic of obesity' in pregnant women

Published on Tuesday 27 July 2010 17:22

HEALTH professionals are dealing with "an epidemic of obesity" among pregnant women as weight gain across the wider population continues to rise, experts have warned.

About half of women of child-bearing age are either overweight (with a body mass index of 25-29.9) or obese (with a BMI of 30 or above) and approximately 16 per cent of women in England are obese from the start of pregnancy, according to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice).

The organisation launched new public health guidance yesterday on weight management before, during and after pregnancy, in the face of growing evidence concerning female obesity and the related risks it poses for both the mother and baby.

Professor Lucilla Poston, director of maternal and foetal research at King's College London, said: "These guidelines are timely, we have an epidemic of obesity amongst our pregnant population." In the UK the best statistics we have suggests between 15 and 20 per cent of pregnant women are coming into pregnancy with a BMI which is less than ideal."

She added that obese women were at increased risk of "almost every complication in the book in pregnancy".

These include impaired glucose tolerance and gestational diabetes, miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, thromboembolism and maternal death.

The guidelines outlined the importance for women in achieving a healthy weight and BMI prior to pregnancy and stressed there was no need to "eat for two".

The document, which is aimed at helping GPs, obstetricians, midwives, health visitors and dieticians support pregnant women, also advised against females trying to losing weight or going on a "crash diet" during pregnancy.