Wellness Wednesday

Lifestyle Changes Before Pregnancy Reduce Complications

Researchers have concluded that to reduce complications that can occur during pregnancy changes must be made prior or at the very beginning of pregnancy.

     We have all heard the term "eating for two", which because of how often medical advice has changed through the decades, was at one point in time the advice given to women to increase birth weight. Today we experience quite a different problem where the majority of women in the reproductive age group are overweight, and studies show overweight mothers tend to have children who suffer from childhood obesity. Many women who are already overweight before pregnancy tend to gain too much weight during pregnancy and thus increase their already high risk of certain complications such as diabetes, preeclampsia, and hypertension. 

     A new study out of Northwestern University has done a large study to see if making lifestyle changes at different points of pregnancy can change the level of risk to these mothers. 1150 participants were recruited for this study, 579 of these women participated in lifestyle intervention while the rest were provided with standard care from the second trimester until birth. The lifestyle intervention varied but aimed to improve nutrition, reduce calories, and increase physical activity. They concluded that even though women were able to control their weight gain and only gain the recommended amount of weight, their risks for complications didn't change. While there still needs to be more studies, researchers have concluded that to make a change in your risk factors during pregnancy, you need to start before conception, or at least before your second trimester.