Scientists Studied 1 Million Pregnancies, Then Found One Overlooked Risk
Summary
A study of over 1 million pregnancies found that gaining too much weight during pregnancy increases the risk of serious health problems called severe maternal morbidity (SMM) for mothers. This risk was higher across all body sizes, including underweight, normal, overweight, and obese women. Preexisting conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure made these risks even greater.Key Facts
- The study analyzed data from 1,035,927 single-baby pregnancies in Ontario, Canada, from 2012 to 2022.
- More than half (52.8%) of pregnant women gained more weight than recommended.
- Severe maternal morbidity (SMM) includes serious complications like heavy bleeding and infections that can threaten a mother's health.
- Women who gained too much weight had a 16% to 33% higher risk of SMM depending on their initial body weight category.
- Underweight women who gained excess weight had the highest increased risk (33%).
- Women with medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure faced nearly three times the risk if they also gained excess weight.
- Recommended pregnancy weight gain varies by starting body weight, ranging from 11 to 40 pounds depending on BMI.
- About 1.46% of pregnancies in the study experienced severe maternal morbidity.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
