Excess Weight In Women Increases The Risk Of Pregnancy Complications

Illustration of pregnant women (freepik)

JAKARTA - Excess weight during pregnancy is one of the factors that can increase the risk of pregnancy complications.

Studies have shown that women who enter pregnancy with excessive weight are more prone to problems such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, to premature birth.

This risk not only affects maternal health during pregnancy, but can also affect fetal growth and development.

This has also been proven through studies conducted by researchers at Linköping University and Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. Scientists say excess weight can increase the risk of health complications during pregnancy.

Scientists at Linköping University and Karolinska Institute research the risk of complications experienced by pregnant women who are overweight, both those born in Sweden and immigrants.

This study involved an analysis of nearly two million pregnancies, focusing on eight types of complications that can affect both mother and baby during pregnancy and during childbirth.

The complications studied include preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, infant mortality in the first year, premature birth, premature birth, and APGAR scores, which are used to assess the health condition of infants after birth.

Researchers also take into account the risks related to the birth of large or small babies. According to researchers, complications such as gestational diabetes can be minimized if women have ideal weight before starting pregnancy.

"For example, we found about half of the gestational diabetes cases could be avoided. This applies both to women born in Sweden and to those from abroad," said Maryam Shirvanifar, lead author of the study.

This study shows that the effect of weight on complications during pregnancy varies.

For example, excessive weight is closer to increasing the risk of gestational diabetes than other pregnancy complications.

The results of a study published in The Lancet Public Health highlight the importance of maintaining a healthy body weight to prevent complications of pregnancy in all women. (Ant)