We know: the mother-to-be weight affects the health of the unborn baby. Caesarean, postpartum haemorrhages, miscarriages, prematurity, developmental disorders… There are many risks if the pregnancy proceeds in a state of obesity or overweight.
But what we know less is that the variations in the weight of the woman between two pregnancies are also bad for the unborn baby … To come to this conclusion, researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm (Sweden) analyzed the health profile of 450,000 women, using data from the Swedish Medical Birth Register – collected between 1992 and 2012.
Losing weight for a healthy baby
Verdict: Women who gained more than 6 pounds between their first and second child increased their risk of miscarriage by 30 to 50% – during their second pregnancy, of course. This statistic exceeds 50% if the weight gain exceeds 11 kg.
The risk of the baby dying during its first 28 days was 27 to 60% higher than normal: among the main causes, birth defects, asphyxia, bacterial infections and sudden infant death syndrome. And the statistics were even higher if, during her first pregnancy, the mother-to-be was already overweight, even slight (BMI over 25) …
The good news is that women who (this time) managed to lose 6 kilograms between two deliveries significantly increased their child’s chances of survival – an increase of about 50%. Without going on a “hard bread and hot water” diet, and if we took a little care of our line, to ensure the well-being of the (future) youngest?
