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Even small weight gain between pregnancy risky
Filed under: Your Pregnancy, Health & Safety: Babies, Media
A new study suggests that women who gain weight between pregnancies have greater risk of complications such as diabetes and high blood pressure during the second pregnancy. The risk holds true even in women with a healthy body mass index.The new research suggests that women with healthy weights should avoid putting on pounds before pregnancy, and suggests that even small weight gain (7 pounds, for example) can hurt. Gaining 1 or 2 body mass index (BMI) points increases the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure during pregnancy by up to 40 percent.
Wow. That's staggering, and I guess it's reason number 732 that I should consider giving up my Kozy Shack consumption. But not until future pregnancy plans are in the works, and that's not for a while












ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
9-29-2006 @ 6:38PM
Wendy Mac said...I saw this story in our local paper today- front page news. It's an interesting study.
I'm a statistician, and I've worked in epidemiology (the health researchers who did this kind of study). I'm left with one question the articles did not mention- was there any kind of control in the study for the mother's age?
Obviously, women age between pregnancies. It's a known scientific fact that there are higher risk of pregnancy-related complications the older women get.
I'm just wondering if those 7 pounds are also linked to age, so it's not just a weight-issue, but an age-issue. Societally, we're having babies older than the generations before us.
Just wondering...
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9-29-2006 @ 8:43PM
VL said...I know a lot of women who have babies (A LOT!) and pretty much all of them gained a few pounds in between pregnancies that they never lost. None have diabetes or still born babies. I know that anecdotal evidence isn't "science" but I would definitly want to see more studies about this before I get worried.
At this point, this feels like one more reason for women to feel guilty that they do not look like they did pre-baby. I don't need that!
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9-30-2006 @ 8:19AM
emjaybee said...I think this study is a start, but not a complete answer...as was said, did they control for age? The article mentions they did not control for other factors that could cause weight gain, making it a symptom of some other risk. I remain skeptical.
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9-30-2006 @ 11:57PM
Belinda said...I am glad this is just a study! LOL! I was 170 when I got pregnant with my daughter and I was 199 when she was born. I now weigh 212 (I have lost 2.5 lbs in the last weeks, YEA) and I am 5'2" (I am suppose to weigh 125 to 129). We are currently trying to get pregnant again with our second child. So far two months and nothing, but keep trying. Besides, trying is the FUN part! LOL!
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