Pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity
Being overweight or obese before pregnancy can lead to numerous health risks for both the parent and baby. For the pregnant individual, these risks include:
- gestational diabetes
- pre-eclampsia
- gestational hypertension
- increased likelihood of caesarean birth and surgical site infection
- poorer perinatal mental health outcomes
For the baby, risks include:
- preterm birth
- being small or large for gestational age
- birth defects and congenital abnormalities
- perinatal death
The risks increase for individuals with class 2 and 3 obesity.
Being underweight (BMI less than 18.5) also carries risks, such as:
- miscarriage
- preterm birth
- low birth weight
Many women and people struggle to lose weight between pregnancies. Family weight is often influenced by diet, physical activity, and socioeconomic factors. Addressing these factors can create a healthier environment for future pregnancies.
Messages for professionals to share:
- advise pregnant people to contact their doctor or midwife as soon as they know they are pregnant
- encourage maintaining a healthy weight and discuss the risks of being underweight or overweight in pregnancy
- promote a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats to support development and reduce the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity later in life
Physical activity
Regular physical activity helps maintain a healthy weight and manage conditions such as Obesity, Diabetes, and heart disease.
It also improves mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, while improving mood and overall well-being.
Inactivity during the preconception period can negatively impact fertility, mental health, and pregnancy outcomes.
Encouraging moderate, consistent exercise before and during pregnancy can help improve fertility, manage weight, and reduce pregnancy risks.
Resources
Whether you want to lose weight or quit smoking, Live Life Better Derbyshire is here to help the people of Derbyshire live life better.
Derbyshire Family Health Service is a team of healthcare professionals here to support you and your family as part of the 0-19-year-olds free public health and wellbeing services.
Health, exercise, and nutrition for the really young (HENRY). HENRY is a unique intervention to support parents and carers to give their child a healthy, happy start in life.
Livewell Derby is Derby City Council’s healthy lifestyle service. The scheme provides free support to adults and children for up to 12 months to help them lose weight, become more active, quit smoking and improve their health.
Healthy StartIf someone is more than 10 weeks pregnant or has a child under 4, they may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk.