Overweight/Obesity and Pregnancy
Maternal Obesity
Maternal obesity is a growing concern among healthcare professionals in the medical field. Overweight and obese women carry extra risks during pregnancy. The extra weight can cause a variety of complications for the mother and fetus during and after giving birth. It's important to be aware of these risks.
Different Types of Risks
These extra risks include gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, preeclampsia, preterm birth and can lead to a cesarean section delivery. These risks can escalate as serious as stillbirths, miscarriage or fetal death. Obese women who give birth via c-section have a higher risk of surgical sight infections.
Breastfeeding and Obesity
Women who face obesity often have a harder time breastfeeding than women of normal weight. This may be because of issues that are physiological, behavioral, socio-cultural, psychological, medical or a combination of these. Women with obesity may have elevated progesterone levels that may prevent the usual fall in progesterone following birth that leads to lactogenesis.
