Overweight/Obesity and Pregnancy

What are your opinions on being overweight and pregnant?  Do you have a higher risk for miscarriage if you're overweight/obese?

Do you have any stories about overweight women who have had sucessful pregnancies?

[Allie1980]

I wondered about the risk of miscarriage....

I asked my OB and she said weight had nothing to do with miscarriages, but I'm not so sure.

I just feel hopeless....like I have so many factors against me for ever having a baby.  :(

[Agiesmom]

With both pregnancies, I started at 250 pounds (I'm 5'8" tall).  I gained 35 with my first pregnancy and lost it all by my first post-partum visit.  I did have gestational diabetes (diet-controlled, no insulin) and I ended up with a c-section, but the pregnancy went well.  This pregnancy is 10 years later and is post-gastric bypass (I had gained 100 pounds and lost it after the gastric bypass between my first and current pregnancies) and I'm gaining the minimal amount of weight (but still healthy amount) and just passed my 1-hour glucose tolerance test.  So far, so good.  And I'm 42 years old this time.

When I was 100 pounds heavier, though, my periods were very sporadic (sometimes 58 days apart, but no pattern to them at all) and we took a few unprotected chances during that time and I did not get pregnant.  I believe had I tried to get pregnant at that time, it would have been difficult, but I'm not certain of that.

Good luck to you!

[nanis]

My sis just had her 5th & last child.She was over 200 pounds.She has never had any problems in her preg. other than people looking & judging her & her weight.She is 31 & has been preg. since age 20.She had to change drs.b/c she was told she was high risk & he would not deliver her until she lost 50 pounds.Imagine, preg. & on a diet?Some drs.dont have any bed side manners.I'm only 10-15 pounds overweight & not preg,(m/c on 8/25) and it's soooo hard for me to lose.She had her baby in july & HAS LOST 30 LBS ALREADY.I think that while preg. you should'nt obsess on weight.I gained 30 pounds, both of my preg. & lost them b/f 6 wk check-up...nanis

[Allie1980]

Thanks everyone..... Agies Mom, I'm about 5'8" 235 and would like to lose 40 lbs or so.


I just feel like I'm the reason I miscarried.....Even though the doctor's said I wasn't....

I just wondered if other plus sized women carried babies successfully....  I am losing some weight, but I'll never be a small person....

Thanks for your story.

[greenpixie]

I guess it depends on how you define overweight.  Going on stats, overweight women are at a higher risk for things like gestational diabetes and pre-clampsia.  I was about 20 pounds overweight when I got pregnant and I'm having a great pregnancy.  My weight gain was slow to start, but I'm still in the range that I need to be in.  My blood pressure has remained low and I had zero problems with the glucose test.  I'm not having any swelling or shortness of breath either.  I guess it just depends on the woman.  I beleive there is a website plus-size-pregnancy.org?  I'm not sure of the web domain, but you could google it.

[Allie1980]

Thanks.  :)

[AnnieBrooke]

A pal of mine was very overweight when she got pregnant.  She went to the perinatologist and he gave her a long talk, saying "You're a big girl, and you have more risks than if you were smaller."  I think some of the risks included more likelihood of miscarriage and more likelihood of pre-term labor, and maybe blood-pressure issues?  Can't remember for sure.  She did have to spend time in the hospital on bed rest.  But she had a fine son.

[twiceadopt]

i've never heard anything about misc. being related to weight... my partner started each of her 2 pregnancies at about 240 and had nary a problem the entire way through, until both refused to come out and had to be induced. she never had high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or any of that either.

[baby4Staci]

Hey there.. guess what??
I am overweight as well.. :)
As you know.. I have a healthy baby boy on board.  I have gained about 10 lbs so far at almost 7 months pregnant so i have nothing to complain about.  Also, i was very active in the gym before my pregnancies.  My advice would be to start exercising if you dont already.  Just walking a half hour a day will help you feel better about yourself even if you dont lose weight doing it..  The only trouble i have had so far being plus sized and pregnant is finding nice maternity clothes.. I am very lucky.. :)  My Blood pressure remains stable, urine is always normal and all blood tests are normal.  I go for my Glucose test tomorrow and will get the results soon after that so we shall see if i have gestational diabetes.  The two risk factors for heavy pregnant women is gestational diabetes and high blood pressure.  BUT those can happen in skinny women too..
Good luck girl.. I am pullin for you!!

[mommy2aj]

when i was pg w/ ds i was 280 at start. i lost and gained throughout, b/c of cravings and sickness. the day before i delivered i was back at 280. at post pardum visit i lost 30 lbs. i had hbp during pg but nothing else. by the end of pg i was on bedrest for 3wks and had c-sec. i would do it all over again for another child. now i have maintained the 30 lb loss and have had 3 m/c. so i don't think the weight had anything to do w/ it.
don't give up!!!
baby dust!!

[BusyMom92960206]

I am overweight and have four kids (my 1st I gained over 100 lbs.)....the I had two children after that, I did have 2 miscarriages but my doctor thinks that was because I wasn't on my thyroid meds at the time, just as soon as the meds got back in my system I went on to have a healthy pregnancy.  So.....I don't know if there are any more risk than anyone else quiet frankly, this is just my opinion though.

One thing you do need to keep in mind, if you are overweight you do not need to gain "25-35 pounds".  You don't diet either, you just eat healthy.  I gained anywhere from 16-28lbs with my pregnancies and was able to go back to prepregnancy weight from the hospital.

[MIA3]

I weighed 200# after having my second child. 3 months later I found out I was Pregnant with my 3rd. I weighed 230# when I had Allie..hehe and had no problems what so ever. Good luck and just eat plenty of fruits and veggies and make sure you get protein. You will be fine. Stay away from refined sugar, eat dark chocolate.  My DR. never, never said anything to me about my weight..I was happy, healthy and the baby looked great!!  Good luck!!!!

[Allie1980]

You girls are amazing!!!!!!!  I'm so grateful for all of your advice and stories.  

I got married weighing 180 lbs at 5'8" and wearing a 12/14....  it's been four years and I've gained a lot.....

However, my doctor did a diabetes and thyroid test after the miscarriage and said I didn't have any problems.

So, I'm going to try to lose a little,.....but I also know I'm healthier because I'm taking vitamins FAITHFULLY which I NEVER did before.  So I hope this will help.

I'm anxious for my doctor's appointment on Monday....where I'm going to ask her all sorts of questions.

Twice adopt---thanks for that positive story about your partner.  She sounds about my size, so that makes me feel better.

THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!

[Momoftwogirls]

i had a starting weight of 265 last pregnancy (which sickens me to type even)...I'm 5'8 and most people would guess me at 200 or less. I just carry it very well. My dr. said he wasn't concerned - and I had a very healthy pregnancy. I have since lost 35 lbs and am now pregnant again. Ugh - hoped to lose it ALL before - but at least I know I can now.  Anyway - who wouldn't like to be thin and ideal weight?  But I don't think it is always a recipe for bad stuff.  I have never miscarried and have had two healthy pregnancies.  I have read that there is greater risk for failure to progress in labor (which I had w/2nd preg.) and maybe hypertension?  But a lot of people get pregnancy-induced hypertension - even the skinny ones.  =-)  Who knows.  I found a VERY nice and supportive Dr. who didn't make me feel bad about my weight. This was SO nice...I felt bad enough.

[ange800]

I'm about 140lb pre pregnancy and have had gestational diabetes with both pregnancies and have a friend whos only about 120lb who also had it it was because it is all through our families with close family members having it. It doesnt matter what weight you are you can get gestational diabetes and being overweight doesnt cause miscarriages its just one of those things that alot of us women go thru. Good luck with your future pregnancy.

[cugirl]

I was about 5'9'' 210lbs when I got pregnant....I had gained 50lbs previously from being on Depo Provera and had not been able to lose the weight yet.  So far I have only gained about 20lbs with this pregnancy and Im 37 weeks 2days.  My dr hasnt said anything about being overweight to me.  And I havent had any trouble with GD or BP (mine is the normal 120/80 everytime).  My Dr says I have a very healthy baby that will be around 8lbs when born.  I have read somewhere that overweight women are more likely to have a c-section but I dont know how true that is.  And my Dr hasnt said anything about it to me.

[Allie1980]

Thanks again, everybody.  I will just have to wait and try again.

On the plus side, I've lost 10 pounds since when I got pregnant in June (which ended in m/c)....

I sure love hearing your success stories...

[2songbirds]

I have to say...I'm 5'9 and before I got pg with this one, I weighed 195. I've gained 6 1/2 lbs already and I'm only 10 1/2 weeks. I ALWAYS gain a lot of weight fast while pregnant, but lose it just as fast. I used to weigh 30 lbs less, before kids, but I quit smoking and injured my back, so I ate and ate and ate.

I don't see a big deal about being overweight while you're pg. As long as you eat healthy, and you can even give into your cravings to an extent, you'll be fine. I thought for sure I'd fail the GD test, but turns out my sugar has been on the low-normal side. I have to eat a snack or drink juice every 2 hours to keep it level and up.

Don't let a dr tell you b/c you're overweight that you should only gain 15-25 lbs. That's BS!! They don't see how fast we lose the weight afterwards.

Plus, when you're overweight, at least from my own personal experience, you're blessed with much bigger boobs than most. They grow a hell of a lot faster in pg than anything else. Before this pg, I was 36C, now I'm 38DD and it's small. So, attribute some of the weight gain to that area.

[NEELI]

i dont think overweight would lead to m/c.Even i was wondering.I have seen many of my family members who r more in weight than me gave birth to healthy babies and me lead into m/c though less in weight when compared to them