Pregnancy: Unhealthy Weight May Impact Your Baby’s Health

Share On Social!

Weight gain is among the main worries for the majority of pregnant women, but healthy weight gain is more important than you may think, according to a new study by Kaiser Permanente (KP).

According to KP’s study pre-pregnancy and excessive weight gain during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of children becoming overweight at age 2. The study also found that breastfeeding for at least six months helped reduce the likelihood of a child being overweight at age 2.

Other key findings:

• Children whose mothers gain excess weight or have elevated blood sugar during their pregnancies are more likely to become overweight or obese during their first decade of life.
• Daughters of overweight mothers who develop gestational diabetes are significantly more likely to experience an earlier onset of at least one sign of puberty.

Doctors recommend pregnant women struggling with weight to substitute “pregnancy cravings with healthier options they can maintain a healthy weight during pregnancy. In addition, moms can also focus on breastfeeding after birth to help lower obesity risk in their children.”

Learn more about healthy weight here.

Visit Salud America’s healthy weight here.