Does Weight Gain During Pregnancy Influence a Newborn's Allergic Diseases Risk?

A population-based study examined the role of pre-pregnancy weight and gestational weight gain in allergic disease development among offspring.

A mother’s weight before pregnancy may impact their newborn's risk of developing allergic diseases in early childhood, whereas weight gain during pregnancy did not seem to have the same effect.

This finding is found in the largest University of Ottawa-led study of nearly 250,000 children in Ontario over seven years.

Healthy Weight Gain during Pregnancy
Recommended weight gain during pregnancy is determined as per pre-pregnancy weight and BMI. Healthy weight gain is very important for pregnancy health and is achieved with the right diet and exercise.

‘A mother’s weight before pregnancy has an impact on the development of allergic diseases in newborns.’

In Canada, approximately 30% of the population suffers from at least one allergic disease, with an even greater prevalence among children.

Globally, trends in allergic diseases have reached epidemic proportions, becoming the most common and earliest-onset group of chronic diseases.

Here are the key points from the study, conducted with the help of the School of Epidemiology and Public Health at the Faculty of Medicine:

Obesity during Pregnancy: Know the Risks
Women with a body mass index >30 are obese and are at a higher risk for gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Macrosomia and birth defects are risks seen in the babies.

No link is found between a mother’s weight gain during pregnancy and childhood allergic disease.

Children born to obese mothers in pregnancy were more likely to develop asthma, but slightly less likely to develop dermatitis and anaphylaxis.

Pregnancy and Complications
In-depth guide for expecting mothers to overcome health complications related to early or late pregnancy. Anemia, urinary infection, diabetes, premature labor to name a few.

Specifically, children born to obese mothers before pregnancy had an 8 percent higher risk of developing asthma.

Approximately half of the infants were born to overweight or obese mothers and a third to mothers who gained excess weight during pregnancy.

Psychological Changes in Pregnancy - How to Deal - FAQs - Reference
Pregnancy is an experience of growth, change, enrichment and challenge. During the 40 weeks of pregnancy, the expectant mother will go through several physical and emotional changes.

Mothers are entering pregnancy overweight/obese, gaining excess weight during pregnancy, and many children are developing the allergic disease in early childhood.

Source-Medindia