Health, Fitness and Wellness

The weight gain of pregnancy poses a challenge to many women. Weight is an important medical aspect of pregnancy, so it is carefully monitored as part of prenatal care by an obstetrician. The key to managing weight during the years when you are having children is to follow your doctor’s instructions during the pregnancy or pregnancies, then get back to your prepregnancy weight after each delivery.

Women who gain excess weight during pregnancy and fail to it afterward are more likely to develop obesity later on. With an obstetrician’s approval, including a program of moderate intensity physical activity during pregnancy is generally recommended. After giving birth, breast-feeding and exercise may be beneficial to control weight. A structured weight-loss program may also help.

In a study that compared a structured weight-loss program that included a sensible approach to eating and exercise with a do-it-yourself approach in the year following pregnancy, the women who participated in the structured program lost over 15 pounds and 6% of their body fat.

The women who tried to lose the weight on their own lost nothing. The researchers concluded that women who were overweight going into the pregnancy were unlikely to lose the weight that they gained during the pregnancy without the help of a structured program.

Read More About This Topic:

1. Effect of Menopause on Body Weight
2. Pregnancy Exercise

Tags : pregnancy