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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Gaining too much weight between baby number one and baby number two puts mom and infant both at greater risk for pregnancy-related complications.
In a new study conducted among more than 150,000 Swedish women, those who packed on the pounds in between their first and second pregnancies were significantly more likely to suffer from high blood pressure and diabetes during pregnancy number two. Researchers report the women were also more likely to require a caesarean section, have a stillborn baby, or a baby considered larger than normal.
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Among women who added one to two units to their body mass index, the risk for diabetes, high blood pressure and larger than normal infants increased by about 20 percent to 40 percent. Women who saw a three or more point gain in BMI were at increased risk for all these complications, plus were 63-percent more likely to have a stillborn child.
The findings were even true for normal weight women. For example, a woman with a BMI of 23 -- within the normal range -- who gained just enough weight to bump her BMI up one point, had a 30-percent increased risk of experiencing diabetes during her second pregnancy. The risk shot up to 100 percent if she increased her BMI by two points, even though a BMI of 25 is only borderline overweight.
Study author Eduardo Villamor, M.D., notes previous studies have linked being overweight to pregnancy problems. The new study shows weight gain in general does the trick. "It turns out that women do not need to become overweight or obese in order to increase their chances of having poor gestational outcomes; only a relatively modest increase in weight between pregnancies could lead to serious illnesses," reports Dr. Villamor. He adds, "A key public health message from our study is that women of normal weight should avoid gaining weight between pregnancies. In addition, overweight and obese women are likely to benefit from weight loss is they are planning to become pregnant."
The authors write that more research needs to be done to find the best way for women to not gain too much weight while pregnant or after giving birth.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: The Lancet, 2006;368:1136-1138, 1184-1170
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