News You Can Use: Part 3
How Much Weight Gain is Right?
The amount of weight gained during pregnancy can affect both the health of the mother and baby.
Gaining too much or too little weight can lead to premature births and babies that are born too small or too big, which in turn can impact a baby's future health.
Studies have found that excessive weight gain during pregnancy can actually increase the risk of childhood obesity. In one study that followed more than 2000 pregnant women and their offspring, children of mothers who gained excessive amounts of weight had more than four times the risk of being over weight at age 3, compared to children of mothers who gained an "inadequate" amount of weight. In another population-based study following 513,501 women and their 1,164,750 offspring, it was found that compared infants of women who gained 8-10 Kgs during pregnancy, infants of women who gained more than 24 Kgs during pregnancy were twice as likely to weigh more than 4 Kgs at birth. Based upon these studies and other evidence, the Institute of Medicine recommends the amount of weight gained during pregnancy be adjusted depending on a woman's pre-pregnancy bidy weight and Body Mass Index (BMI).
Calcium to Help Build Strong Bones.
It has been frequently reported that women of childbearing age do not consume the dietary reference intake for calcium. Women who chronically consume suboptimal amounts of calcium (<500 mg/day) may therefore be at risk for increased bone loss during pregnancy. The recommended dietary intake for calcium for pregnant women is 1,00 mg a day and some of the best food sources include milk, yogurt, cheese and some dark leafy green vegetables. Taking supplemental calcium may also be helpful to ensure needs are met, especially for women following a vegan diet.
Vitamin D is Important for Both Mom and Baby.
Recent evidence suggests that vitamin D deficiency is common during pregnancy especially among vegetarians, women with limited sun exposure, and certain ethnic groups with darker skin. In newborns, maternal vitamin D deficiencies have been associated with skeletal disorders such as rickets and bone fractures. Recent studies suggest that insufficient maternal vitamin D levels may also increase risk of mothers developing gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy).
In a 2012 meta-analysis, researchers found 83% of the studies identified reporting an inverse relationship between circulating vitamin D levels and markers of glucose homeostasis associated with gestational diabetes, or an increased risk of gestational diabetes associated with reduced maternal levels of vitamin D. Although more studies are needed to determine if optimizing vitamin D status during pregnancy with supplemental vitamin D can help, ensuring adequate vitamin D intakes during preconception seems prudent.
This is important since uncontrolled gestational diabetes is associated with a number of health issues for newborns and mothers. In newborns these include excessive birth weight, premature birth and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life, while in mothers there is an increased risk of high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia and a future increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
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