A study recently published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism showed that overweight women who had weight loss surgery before becoming pregnant might help break the cycle of obesity within their families.
It was found that children born to women who had weight loss surgery, such as gastric band, before pregnancy, have improved heart health and a lower risk of obesity compared to their siblings. In fact they are three times less likely to become obese compared with siblings born before weight loss surgery.
Previous research shows that weight and a tendency to develop diabetes and heart disease can affect the health of the unborn child, exposing the child to metabolic problems related to obesity.
The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences updated their guidelines on the correct weight for young women and the limits on pregnancy weight gain. Women with a BMI over 30 are advised to gain no more than 20lbs.
Tribune newspapers 14/9/09
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There is a great deal of discussion around the whole subject of pregnancy and pre and post pregnancy weights. Gaining significant amounts of weight during pregnancy will put the child at risk on several different levels.
Many women with a BMI over 30 find it extremely difficult to conceive and researchers in an Australian study showed that the gastric balloon procedure produced a higher rate of pregnancy than IVF treatment.