Piling on excess weight during pregnancy increases the risk of complications for pregnant women but doctors have been cautious in advising women on ways to manage weight for fear of any adverse effect on mother or baby.
However, the new study published in the BMJ shows that following a healthy diet, overseen by health professionals, stems excess weight gain in pregnancy and reduces the risk of pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia, diabetes, high blood pressure and early delivery.
The researchers investigated the effect of diet, exercise, or a combination of the two. They looked at how much weight women gained throughout pregnancy and whether mother or child suffered from any complications.
Although all three methods reduced the mother’s weight gain, diet had the greatest effect with an average reduction of nearly 4kg. Exercise only resulted in an average reduction in weight gain of just 0.7kg. A combination of diet and exercise only produced and average reduction of 1kg.
Women who followed a calorie controlled diet were 33% less likely to develop pre-eclampsia, one of the most dangerous pregnancy complications that presents with raised blood pressure and protein in the urine.
Their risk of gestational diabetes was 60% lower, their risk of gestational high blood pressure was 70 per cent lower and their risk of early delivery was 32% lower. However, the researchers acknowledge that these findings need to be confirmed by further large studies.
Crucially, babies’ birth weights were not affected by dieting.
Dr Shakila Thangaratinam, who led the study, said: “Weight control is difficult but this study shows that by carefully advising women on weight management methods, especially diet, we can reduce weight gain during pregnancy.
“It also shows that following a controlled diet has the potential to reduce the risk of a number of pregnancy complications.
“Women may be concerned that dieting during pregnancy could have a negative impact on their babies. This research is reassuring because it showed that dieting is safe and that the baby’s weight isn’t affected.”
Dr Thangaratinam added: “What we don’t know is why diet should be so much better than exercise in controlling weight gain.
“It could be that it is simpler and easier for women to stick to. It may also be that eating a high-fibre diet has other positive health effects for a pregnant woman.”
Source: Queen Mary, University of London
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