Originally published February 26 2006
Study shows one in three Australian moms is obese during pregnancy
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
University of Newcastle senior research fellow Raoul Walsh discusses his research, which found that one-third of Australian moms were obese during pregnancy, exposing themselves and their children to greater health risks.
THE alarming number of chubby expectant mums in Australia is fast becoming a bigger public health issue than smoking during pregnancy.
A study published in The Medical Journal Of Australia last month showed that a third of pregnant women were now overweight or obese, putting themselves at greater risk of gestational diabetes, hypertension and pre-eclampsia.
The women were more likely to need caesareans and longer hospital stays.
And their babies were at greater risk of premature delivery, birth defects and admission to intensive care.
In contrast, the rate of smoking in pregnancy has halved in the past 20 years, with only 14.8 per cent still puffing during pregnancy - and that rate is expected to drop to below 10 per cent within a decade, University of Newcastle senior research fellow Raoul Walsh said.
Australian Medical Association executive councillor and obstetrician Andrew Pesce said the issue of weight, which was once carefully monitored, had fallen by the wayside in antenatal clinics in recent decades.
David McIntyre, one of the authors of the MJA study and president of the Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society, said for women who were overweight and planning pregnancy, the study should be a warning bell.
Dr McIntyre said monitoring weight gain during pregnancy had gone out of fashion because there was little scientific data to suggest it was useful.
The message needed to get out that carrying extra kilos made it harder to conceive and increased the risk of pregnancy and birth complications.
"They are not eating for two, they are eating for three or four."
He is planning another study this year looking at the effects of exercise before and during pregnancy.
Obstetrician Tony Frumar said there was a good case for bringing scales back into antenatal clinics for regular weigh-ins.
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