Too much or too little weight gain during pregnancy not good for the child

Most women gain weight during pregnancy.  On average, pregnancies are associated with a weight gain that ranges from 12-20 kg. However, some women gain a lot of weight, while there are others who gain very little weight. Neither of these two weight extremes is good for the health of the child’s heart, says a recent study. The results are published in Diabetologia.

Findings show that the weight of the mother during pregnancy may be linked to the health of the child’s heart. In this study, the researchers evaluated 905 mother-child pairs. They classified the mothers into groups that either matched or exceeded the recommended weight gain:

• 25 to 35 lbs for women with a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9
• 28 to 40 lbs for women with a BMI under 18.5
• 15 to 25 lbs for women with a BMI above 25.

They then assessed the heart health of the child at age 7. They found that mothers who gained the recommended weight did not have children with heart problems. However, women who gained excess weight had children who were at a higher risk for high blood pressure, high body mass index and elevated fasting insulin levels, all strong risk factors for heart disease.

The researchers then looked at mothers who gained too little weight and found that their children were also at a slightly higher risk for high blood pressure and increased blood sugar levels.

The chief author of the study, Dr. Wing Hung Tam, a Professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Hong Kong, said, “Women should know this before pregnancy. Achieving normal weight before pregnancy will make it easier to control weight during pregnancy.” He went on to add,  “These effects are modest, and we don’t want to be obsessive about this. The best way to achieve normal pregnancy weight gain is to exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet.”

Unfortunately, this wasn’t a randomized study, and it was not long term. The study did not follow the children into adulthood to determine if they really went on to develop heart disease. Plus one has to wonder why a woman who gains excess weight during her pregnancy should influence heart disease in the child at seven years of age. These days children lead a sedentary life, playing computer games, eat junk food and are physically inactive, all risk factors for heart disease.