Expectant mother is too fat during pregnancy, and the child is at high risk of brain damage

The more pregnant women eat, the better? Experts warn that women should adjust their bodies to a healthier state before pregnancy and should not be too fat, or put children in health problems. Studies have shown that over-obese mothers have an impact on the health of children. Children born to fat mothers have a greater risk of brain damage, stroke, heart disease and asthma in adulthood.

Expectant mother is too fat during pregnancy, and the child is at high risk of brain damage

In July 2010, the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published a detailed set of pregnancy guidelines. Specially written to the BMI (weight / height squared) is higher than 30 (such as height 1.6m, weight 75kg) pregnant mother's pregnancy recommendations, the core content of the recommendations: weight loss, first lose 5% to 10% of the weight Talk about the creation plan. For pregnant women with endocrine diseases such as polycystic ovary syndrome, weight loss can make some people have normal menstruation, which is good for ovulation and pregnancy.

A series of studies have shown that obesity actually begins in the womb, and seriously overweight babies have begun to accumulate fat in their mother's stomach. As for why babies are obese, there are two reasons. One is their genes: heavier adults are more likely to have heavier babies. Another reason is that the baby gets more food in the womb than he needs. Regardless of the cause of obesity, a key factor in obesity is maternal obesity. Obese women may also pass genes to their babies, and the way they deal with fat may make them obese. Because fat cells release chemicals that make the body less sensitive to insulin, obese women are more likely to have insulin resistance. This is a major risk factor for the development of gestational diabetes and also increases the risk of infant obesity. Therefore, about half (45%) of obese women will have obese babies.


Another related problem is that a mother's high-sugar diet during pregnancy may cause a sudden drop in blood sugar levels in the baby (hypoglycemia). After the baby is born, he will no longer be able to consume sugary food through the placenta. Studies have shown that 3 out of every 1,000 babies have hypoglycemia, which can cause brain damage if left untreated, which is one of the common causes of babies entering a special incubator.

In fact, with a fat baby, mothers are also at risk. If the mother is obese, caesarean section will be more difficult and will increase complications such as wound infections such as blood clots and blood loss. In fact, between 2003 and 2005, almost a quarter of the 295 reported maternal deaths in the UK were obese, with blood clots and heart disease being the most common causes of death. In addition, if the mother is too fat, the risk of suffering from multiple complications will be greatly increased, such as pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, pregnancy-induced hypertension, gestational fatty liver, and premature delivery. Pregnant women are obese during pregnancy, and the body secretes more insulin to maintain the metabolism and storage of sugar, fat and protein in the bloated body. Such a change may cause gestational diabetes in pregnant women who have not had diabetes before, and may also aggravate the condition of a mother who is originally a diabetic. It is understood that hyperglycemia can cause abnormal development or even death of the embryo, and the incidence of abortion is 15% to 30%. Pregnant mothers with gestational diabetes are also prone to infection, diabetic ketoacidosis, polyhydramnios, etc.; the baby may have hypoglycemia or respiratory distress syndrome after birth.

If the expectant mother grows too much weight, too fast, and has mild dizziness or headache, it is necessary to check the blood pressure problem quickly. It is understood that about a quarter of women with gestational hypertension will develop pre-eclampsia during pregnancy or childbirth, or shortly after giving birth, and the prevalence of pre-eclampsia in pregnancy-induced hypertension within 30 weeks of pregnancy is 50%. Pregnancy-induced hypertension has a great impact on pregnant women and fetuses, and the risk of complications such as intrauterine growth restriction, premature delivery, placental abruption, and fetal death is higher. For babies, obesity at birth means they are more likely to have shoulder dystocia (the shoulders are trapped during production). This can lead to difficulty breathing and increase the risk of oxygen hypoxia. It can also cause brachial plexus injury and permanent paralysis of the arm. If they are born by caesarean section, they increase the risk of breathing difficulties, asthma, allergies and cardiovascular disease.

In addition, infant obesity has long-term effects on health. Studies have shown that obese infants are more likely to grow into obese children and adults. Professor Cyrus Cooper, director of the Growth and Epidemiology Institute of the Medical Research Council at the University of Southampton, said: "If you are an obese child, your body already has a relatively high amount of middle-aged fat. Factor, which will increase your risk of type 2 diabetes, may also lead to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and premature death." Professor Cooper added that another problem is fracture. The body can form fat, and the number of stem cells in bone or muscle cells is limited. "For obese children, stem cells are more likely to become fat cells, so these children are more susceptible to fractures."

The most commonly used indicator for determining whether there is overnutrition or malnutrition during pregnancy is weight. Expectant mothers will increase their weight during pregnancy. This part of the weight is mainly from the baby, as well as placenta, amniotic fluid, breast, subcutaneous fat, and increased blood volume. Expectant mothers should do their own weight management during pregnancy, and weigh at least once a month. Under normal circumstances, there is a scientific and reasonable weight gain range in different periods of pregnancy. In the early pregnancy, due to early pregnancy reaction and other reasons, the weight gain is not obvious, generally the total weight gain is 1.5kg-2kg; the second trimester is the rapid growth and development of the fetus. Expectant mothers also have a better appetite because of the relief of early pregnancy reaction, so the weight will increase rapidly, the weight gain is about 0.5kg per week; in the third trimester, the weight gain is 0.5kg per week. In general, weight gain of 11kg-15kg during pregnancy is normal, but if the expectant mother is fat before pregnancy, it does not need to increase too much during pregnancy; on the contrary, if it is thin before pregnancy, it should be planned more Increase some weight.

At present, the more common "Pregnant Women's Weight Gain Recommendation" (published by the Mayo Clinic in the United States) points out that normal pregnant mothers with a BMI of 18.5-24.9 can gain 11kg-16kg during pregnancy; overweight pregnant mothers with BMI25-29.9 can increase Weight 7kg-11kg; if the BMI is higher than 30 pregnant mother, it needs to pay attention to it, the weight gain 5kg-9kg can be, and must not be too heavy.

For those mothers who are underweight or have twins, the weight gain during pregnancy is naturally more. The twins’ mothers’ weight gain during pregnancy is allowed to be around 18kg, but it is by no means a multiple of the weight gain allowed in a single pregnancy.