Science shows that mothers who gain too much weight during pregnancy affect their later brain

Uncontrolled weight gain during pregnancy can have consequences like preeclampsia, diabetes and later brain damage.

Obesity during pregnancy

The weight of a woman during pregnancy is often a big concern for pregnant women and obstetricians themselves. It is essential that the weight gain gradually and within the allowed limits in each stage of pregnancy. Among the complications obesity can cause in women during pregnancy, the most noticeable consequences are high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes.

You can tell if your body is overweight or obese by using the body mass index (BMI).

Consequences of obesity during pregnancy

When a woman gains too much weight during pregnancy, she is more likely to suffer health effects than women who gain little or moderate weight. For example, if a pregnant woman has pre-eclampsia, her pregnancy may be at risk. Although many women with pre-eclampsia still have normal babies, others are still at risk of premature birth or in certain cases miscarriage.

A team of experts at the Milman School of Public Health at Columbia University and the University of Texas, USA, published a study on the BMC Pediatrics website. In it they discovered a link between excessive weight gain and complications that can be encountered in children at birth.

The team of epidemiologists, nutritionists and environmental health researchers studied 368 mothers and their babies, both during pregnancy and when the child was 3 and 7 years old. The 368 cases studied were all people with similar social and economic conditions. In addition, other factors such as marital status, ethnicity, educational attainment and IQ of mothers were taken into account. Attention is also paid to the gestation period and the environmental conditions in which prenatal and postnatal babies are exposed. Maternal diet during pregnancy and the fact that infants who were exclusively breastfed were not all of the factors analyzed in this study.

When children were 3 years old, tests were taken to assess their motor skills. Similar tests were repeated 4 years later, when they were 7 years old.

Research results

In studies of 3-year-olds, scientists tested their motor skills and found that mothers who were obese during pregnancy were associated with cases of children with slower motor skills. .

When children were re-examined at age 7, it was found that boys born to overweight or obese mothers during pregnancy had lower IQ scores than babies born with weight. normal heavy. That difference is at 5 points or more, and it only happens in men.

Although the study found a link between maternal obesity during pregnancy and developmental problems or low IQ in children, scientists have not been able to explain the reason for this.

On the other hand, the study looked at the environment of each child and found that the consequences of maternal obesity during pregnancy on the baby would be reduced if the child was raised in a cozy family, Have fun with the stimulating effects to play and learn more.

Do you know how much weight your mother gained while pregnant? If you are pregnant, what is the reason you are gaining so much weight? Try reviewing and adjusting your diet accordingly.