Obesity and Pregnancy: Intermountain Health Experts Discuss the Risks

In the U.S., more than 40 percent of adults over age 20 are obese, and it’s an increasing problem that affects people’s health. And many of those people are women of childbearing age.

“Studies show obesity during pregnancy can increase your risk of having complications during pregnancy such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or even preeclampsia that can cause your kidney or liver to fail. It also increases your chance of having a Cesarean birth during delivery,” said Amelia Parrett, MD, an OB-GYN with Intermountain Health.

“Obesity also increases risks for babies to have birth defects, be born premature, or be stillborn. And babies who are large for their gestational age are at increased risk for infant metabolic syndrome and/or childhood obesity,” she added.

According to medical experts, obesity can be determined by how much higher your body mass index (BMI) is than recommended, but that’s not the only factor. It’s also defined by your height, weight, and muscle tone.

If you’re thinking about becoming pregnant, it’s a good idea to have a pre-pregnancy checkup with your primary care provider or OB-GYN, so they can help you know if there are any reasons to not go ahead with trying to get pregnant, or if you have any health conditions that could complicate a pregnancy.

They can also help you know how to prepare for a safe and healthy pregnancy. And it’s a good idea for your partner to get a checkup ahead of time too.

“Pregnancy can be a great motivation to learn how to change or adjust your lifestyle habits to increase your chances for a healthy, normal delivery, said Dr. Parrett.  “I help my patients know how to eat more nutritiously and eat in the right portions during pregnancy. And when moms eat healthier, they can form new habits and also influence their partner and other family members to do the same,” said Dr. Parrett.

With the abundance of unhealthy processed food available and/or a sedentary lifestyle, many people find they’ve become overweight or obese. The claims on food packaging can be misleading. Not having time to prepare meals, can make it hard to eat healthy, so it’s important to prioritize carving out time to shop for healthy foods and cook healthy more often.

And if you are overweight or obese before you become pregnant, it can be hard to return to your pre-pregnancy weight.

“Obesity is so treatable with good nutrition. During pregnancy it’s especially important to eat a diet that includes fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, lean sources of protein and less processed food. It’s better to eat whole food that is one ingredient than to eat food that is a combination of ingredients,” said Dr. Parrett.

“I tell my patients to take a really honest look at their nutrition by starting to keep a food journal for several days. Write down what you eat and how much. Ultra-processed foods should be monitored and measured,” said Dr. Parrett.

According to Dr. Parrett, exercise is like the cherry on top. If you haven’t been exercising, before you became pregnant, she suggests starting with walking 7,000 to 10,000 steps each day. Find a type of exercise you like and talk with your doctor about what is safe during pregnancy. Body weight resistance training is especially beneficial.

For women with a high-risk health condition who are considering pregnancy, the maternal fetal medicine department at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray has a Pregnancy Preparation, Prevention and Risk Evaluation (PrePPARE) Clinic which offers pre-pregnancy risk assessments and evaluations. Call 801-507-7400 for more information. To find an OB-GYN or midwife in Utah near you visit intermountainhealth.org. For up-to-date information and announcements, please see the Intermountain Health newsroom at https://news.intermountainhealth.org.

About Intermountain Health

Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a nonprofit system of 33 hospitals, 385 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For more information or updates, see https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news.