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
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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.
