Pre-pregnancy Weight

We now know more than ever that your nutrition and weight status prior to becoming pregnant can affect both your health and the health of your future baby. It is a common misunderstanding that a baby is only affected by a mother’s habits during pregnancy. Your pre-pregnancy weight matters!

Fat actually plays a big part in fertility as well. Too little or too much of it can affect your chances of getting pregnant. Beyond affecting your ability to conceive, an unhealthy pre-pregnancy weight can increase the chance of complications during your pregnancy.  

Overweight, obese, and severely obese women have more complications than normal weight women including diabetes that develops during pregnancy, pregnancy induced high blood pressure, and cesarean delivery. Women who are heavier prior to pregnancy are at a higher risk for having a high-birth-weight infant and an infant with low Apgar scores (Apgar scores measure the health of the infant immediately after birth). A recent study in the journal Pediatrics, also found that among preterm infants, children of mothers who were obese prior to pregnancy had double the risk of brain development and learning issues at age two than those of mothers that were normal weight prior to pregnancy.

Although much less common, underweight prior to pregnancy also comes with risks. Underweight women are more likely than those of normal weight to have a preterm delivery or a low-birth-weight infant, putting the baby at risk for a variety of conditions at birth.

Calculate your BMI (body mass index) to determine your weight status on the BMI calculator.

If your BMI is below 18.5 or above 29 and you’re thinking about becoming pregnant, it’s time to start making some changes!

If you’re underweight…

Quality is much more important than quantity. Focus on concentrated calories. Foods high in fat have more calories than high carb or high protein foods, but the goal is not to increase weight by eating excessive unhealthy foods. Seek out healthy fats such as nuts, healthy oils, or avocado. Continue to eat your vegetables even though they aren’t a high calorie food, try cooking green veggies with olive oil and slivered almonds or crushed walnuts to increase the energy density.

If you’re overweight…

It’s all about staying satisfied! Make sure you start your day off with breakfast. Even if you’re not hungry when you wake up, try to have at least have a piece of fruit to get your body working! Throughout the day focus on low calorie foods that are high in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fiber. Water, fruits, vegetables, lean protein and low-fat dairy in addition to portion controlled healthy fats can keep you satisfied throughout the day without packing on the pounds!

Regardless of the weight status you achieve before becoming pregnant, making changes toward a healthier weight can improve your general well being and help you to be the healthiest soon-to-be mom you can be.