Pregnancy with Obesity - Know the facts !!

Worried about having pregnancy with obesity ????

Read out to understand the risks and how to deal with them !

                Being pregnant with a high BMI puts you and your coming baby at certain health risks and possible complications , which can be managed better if you consult your healthcare provider well in time , ideally before conception , when you are planning a pregnancy.

Who is considered obese ?

As a general rule , any person having a BMI 30 or more , is considered Obese. Having a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered to what is called being Overweight .

What is BMI ?

BMI is a measurement of a person's weight with respect to his/her height . It can be calculated by dividing your weight ( in kilograms ) by your height ( in metres squared ).

 If you find it difficult to calculate it by yourself , no worries !! there are several predesigned BMI Calculators available online , that you can use and get it !

Now lets dive into the topic a little deeper 

A question commonly asked by women is ,

Could Obesity affect my chances of getting pregnant ??

The answer is unfortunately YES 

With obesity , your body's internal hormonal environment is a bit altered and your ovaries may not function optimally . This can lead to defective ovulation ( egg formation ) or even no ovulation at all naturally and sometimes you are only left with the option of conception with medical treatment . Infertility related to obesity is most commonly attributed to Polycystic ovarian syndrome.( PCOS)

If you like to read more about PCOs ,visit my blogpost here :

 https://healthsaysitall.blogspot.com/2020/01/5-most-effective-ways-to-fight-pcos.html 

How can obesity harm my pregnancy ?

There are a number of complications , that you have increased chances of encountering with a high BMI during pregnancy .

DURING Pregnancy :

1) Raised Blood pressure ( with/without damage to other organ systems, a term named Preeclampsia)

2) Thrombosis - havind blood clots in legs /lungs .This can be a life-threatening condition. 

3) Gestational Diabetes .

4) Urinary tract infections 

5) Sleep apnea 

6) Gall bladder disease 

7) Mental health problems

RELATED TO DELIVERY :

1) Dysfunctional Labour 

2) Shoulder dystocia , CPD , birth asphyxia 

3) Instrumental delivery  

4) Increased chances of cesarean section 

5) Anesthesia- related complications 

AFTER BIRTH :

1) Postpartum hemorrhage that implies increased blood loss following delivery 

2) Thrombophlebitis meaning inflammation of your veins with/without blood clot formation  

3) Wound infections

Is My baby also at risk ??

There are a number of Birth defects , that the baby is at increased risk of developing like 

Neural Tube Defects 

Cardiovascular system anomalies 

cleft lip / palate 

hydrocephalus

anorectal malformation

 Other than these , baby is at risk of being 

* larger than average for gestation 

* miscarriages / stillbirth 

* later on develop childhood obesity / asthma 

I know the discussion may have got you a little more worried ..but as i previously mentioned , there are only a bit increased chances for these . You may not necessarily develop all of these . For your reassurance , majority of the obese women are observed to have absolutely normal pregnancy and healthy outcomes ! also to mention , with certain precautionery measures which i am about to mention , u can combat the adversities and minimise the risks ! 

What Can I Do to Reduce the Risk of Complications ? 

For a better understanding ,  i am dividing this part into two sections , hope this will be covered in detail .

Before Conception :

When you are planning to get pregnant , visit your healthcare provider so that she can make sure you enter the pregnancy with minimum possible risks . This visit should include calculation of your BMI , review of any pre-existing medical disorders and referral accordingly to the specialists .

 You are going to get a detailed discussion about weight reduction strategies including 

* physical workout ( walk / yoga / gym ) 

* Diet and lifestyle modification 

     You will have to work on you dietary habits and switch to a more healthy/balanced diet .You can consult a registered dietician for this purpose .For quick reference, you can visit these links for information your diet plan :
http://www.eatingwell.com/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-lose-weight-as-fast-as-possible#section1
bariatic surgery ( if applicable ) e.g gastric bypass / gastric banding 

       Your doctor will prescribe you folic acid at this stage to decrease chances of fetal birth defects . 

During Pregnancy : 

Once you get pregnant , 

- ensure early visit to your healthcare provider ( ideally specialist-led care ) 

- regular antenatal appointments 

- high dose folic acid intake 

- visit to dietician to get a suitable diet plan 

- moderate exercise ( 30 minutes atleast 3 times a week )
 Here's a quick link to my favourite physical workout expert , 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52uvwCi03yE

Now heres a very common question regarding weight gain in pregnancy , i-e 

How will i get to know how much weight i should gain in pregnancy ? 

       Well, it depends on your pre-pregnancy weight .

To simplify it for you , if your pre-pregnancy BMI is more than 30 , the recommended weight gain for you would be in the range of 5 to 9 kg . 

Planning a Future pregnancy :

 After birth of your baby , you will receive advice / a scheduled appointment for discussion regarding ideal birth spacing . If your BMI is above 30 , you will need to reduce weight in between pregnancies. This will help reduce risks to you and your baby and most importantly , increase your chances of coneption naturally ( e.g if you previously conceived with treatment ! )

     

         So concluding the session , pregnancy with obesity can be worrisome , but with a little extra care and precautions , the possibility of complications can be markedly reduced . 

Please ensure your feedback for improvement . If you have further queries on the topic , feel free to write down to me in the comment section below .   

For more information regarding your health problems , keep visiting my facebook page :

Mypregnancyguide

https://web.facebook.com/Mypregnancyguide-103339791379106/?eid=ARBcWIPhysc0BK2fEzk3yrsXgu_a3wgAHSQ6lSh0XpP9PoTGIR8YRPnDU2Ecq0nqhHllL9pa9vAh0EJ9

5 Most Effective ways to fight PCOS !!

Polycystic Ovary 

Hi there ! Hope you are having a good day ! This blog is basically a platform to discuss all your concerns related to the problem of polycystic Ovary Syndrome. ( commonly known as PCOS) .i will try to give you an insight into the problem , its effects and their outcomes . I will try to cover as much of the disease , as possible  to clarify your mind in simple words.. so lets get started !

Introduction :

Polycystic ovaries is a problem being faced by increasing number of females over the past few years and the disease burden is definitely increasing day by day . It is , undoubtedly, the commonest problem seen  in young girls presenting in gynecological clinics !..specially those presenting with menstrual irregularities..
So first of all , you need to know what actually happens in PCOS.
 Its basically a syndrome ( a collective problem that may involve more than one body organ ) that occurs because of imbalance in your internal hormonal setup and produces its effects in different ways .

The most important fact is that the ovaries are not functioning as well as they are supposed to be !..our ovaries produce a variety of hormones that keep our body systems function smoothly , most importantly ,  our reproductive system!!  Now you must be thinking why this  imbalance occcurs ??...
Well , it may be due to a variety of reasons most important of those are related to your diet , lifestyle and certain environmental factors too! Along with these , there may be a genetic influence also in few cases.
Here a question must be coming to your mind that how will you get to know that you are having this problem or not ?? Certainly , a disease always manifests itself in a number of ways, that give the clinician a clue to its diagnosis .So , let's discuss the symptoms of PCOS.

Symptoms :

 Most common of them are :
1. Progressive weight gain.
2. Irregularity of your periods ( menstrual cycle ).
3. Increased hair growth on unusual areas like chin / thighs/ your tummy.
4.Infertility.
5.Increased acne.

A patient having PCOS can develop some or all of these problems , alongwith cystic appearing ovaries on ultrasound scan , at any stage of her life . Those who develop symptoms early commonly complain of infrequent / scanty periods or prolonged cycles and weight gain. Women coming in later years can present merely with inability to conceive ! And during investigations , they get to know they are having PCOs !.

The most reassuring fact about this problem is that , even having PCOs , a woman can be totally symptoms free !! So nothing to worry about much ! :)
I think the intro has taken a bit long .. So let's quickly jump to the main topic which is , 

5 Most Effective ways to fight PCOS !!

Fighting PCOS is definitely a challenge for the patient, and her clinician as well. However , there are certain proven ways to reduce / minimize its effects and improve symptoms.

1, Lifestyle Modification :

We are generally used to a sedentary lifestyle nowadays which is , i think , partially because of increasing influence of  technology / social media in our lives . Notoriously , this lifestyle is somehow causing / deteriorating the problems related to the disease under discussion. So,  the first and most important remedy would be to change your lifestyle habits , start doing as much of your daily chores manually as possible !. Staying physically up and about and not sticking to your couches using electronic gadgets would work wonders for you !!

2. Changing dietary habits :

Patients of PCOS with increased weight are advised to lose some weight to help reduce the symptoms , and improve ovarian function . The first step towards it would be to change the pattern of diet . Simply , you  have to omit the fatty foods e.g  fried snacks / fast food / ice creams / cream cakes and desserts loaded with sugar ! ..you have to cut the carbs in your meal , avoid taking potatoes / rice much .

Here , the concept of " portion control " is important to discuss , as most of us nowadays are not usually following this strategy to plan our meals and we end up making disasters !! Increased intake of dietary fibre ( e.g in raw veggies and fruits ) is also very helpful in reducing harmful fat and eventually your weight . In a nutshell , you have to switch over to a " healthy and balanced diet " !! 
Here are some quick links for your guidance :
http://www.eatingwell.com/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-lose-weight-as-fast-as-possible#section1

3. Exercise / yoga / physical workout :

Now this is the most crucial step which can dramatically show you the results in no time . There is a lot of stuff available on the internet regarding this and surely you can get help from physio instructors /  fitness experts too if need may be . Well , is there anyone out there who does not like to look fit and smart ?? Obviously No ! :) so , promise  yourself  to start it as soon as possible !!
Here's my favourite physical workout expert.Hope you will love it .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52uvwCi03yE

4. Non-medical / herbal solutions :

 There are a number of herbal remedies for improving the symptoms related to PCOs e.g some herbal teas , herbal supplements ( e.g myo- inositol )  that are seen to benefit the patients . But you can use them after discussion with your healthcare provider.

5. Metformin  :

Its a medicine, that has been proven in research studies to effectively improve symptoms in PCOs , increase responsiveness of your ovaries and solve most of the problems .  Taken over a varied period of time , benefits start to appear and help relieve the symptoms. It can ONLY be taken on your clinician' s prescription !!
So ladies , i hope this article was helpful in clarifying your confusions related to this problem . 
If you have any further queries , feel free to contact . I'm here to help you anytime .. Good luck !!