20 May Obesity & Pregnancy
Obesity & Pregnancy
Excess weight negatively affects the health of women. Being overweight or obese increases the relative risk of diseases like Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease in women. Females who are obese have a higher risk of low back pain and knee osteoarthritis. Obesity negatively affects both contraception and fertility as well. Maternal obesity is linked with higher rates of cesarean section as well as higher rates of high-risk obstetrical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. Pregnancy outcomes are negatively affected by maternal obesity (increased risk of neonatal mortality and malformations). There is an association between obesity and depression in women, though cultural factors may influence this association. Obese women are at higher risk for multiple cancers, including endometrial cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer, and perhaps ovarian cancer.
Excess weight affects female fertility. Obesity has number of different effects on fertility of women as well as men.
- A fine hormonal balance regulates the menstrual cycle. Overweight and obesewomen have higher levels of a hormone called leptin, which is produced in fatty tissue. This can disrupt the hormone balance and lead to reduced chances of conception.
- Hormonal imbalance due to obesity also leads to insulin resistance that can lead to diabetes. Insulin resistance can also cause anovulation (condition when body does not produce eggs properly)
- Due to imbalance in hormones and anovulation, natural and assisted ( such as in vitro fertilization IVF) pregnancies becomes challenging. It also increases risks of miscarriage
- Obesity effects men fertility also because of drop in testosterone. Condition like erectile dysfunction also occurs at higher rate among obese men.
Weight loss via bariatric surgery has decrease many pregnancy complications. According to a study it was suggested that women who had delivered children after (bariatric) surgery (as compared with women who delivered before surgery) had decreased rates of hypertension, preeclampsia & diabetes during pregnancy.
It is recommended to wait for a year after the bariatric surgery in order to get pregnant. After talking to your surgeon and gynaecologist, with regular follow ups & proper dosage of supplements, you can have a healthy pregnancy.
For any queries, you can write to Dr Amit Garg ( Bariatric & Metabolic Surgeon, Chandigarh, India) at codsils.info@gmail.com or call us at +91 7986991767, +91 6283337650
