http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20090210/obesity-carries-pregnancy-risks
This past monday in class, we had quite an extensive discussion regarding the affects of obesity on pregnancy, for both the mother and the baby. This article talks about a bunch of different birth defects that are linked to obesity, and what the general cause may be. Reading the article, I was most interested in seeing how defects like cleft palette or limb reduction abnormalities were proven to be linked to obesity and the low grade inflammation. Feel free to comment on anything from the lack of detail regarding the actual study(ies), to how this article may actually encompass the big picture: where inflammation isn't an isolated issues and can potentially cause deformity in a wide variety of systems, that are related to obesity in an indirect manner.
This past monday in class, we had quite an extensive discussion regarding the affects of obesity on pregnancy, for both the mother and the baby. This article talks about a bunch of different birth defects that are linked to obesity, and what the general cause may be. Reading the article, I was most interested in seeing how defects like cleft palette or limb reduction abnormalities were proven to be linked to obesity and the low grade inflammation. Feel free to comment on anything from the lack of detail regarding the actual study(ies), to how this article may actually encompass the big picture: where inflammation isn't an isolated issues and can potentially cause deformity in a wide variety of systems, that are related to obesity in an indirect manner.
Thanks for posting a helpful source to remind of us about the higher risks of getting defects on infants from obese mothers. This short article could've been better from my personal point of view if they could've described a possible physiological mechanism behind how obese mother in pregancy can bring a higher risks of giving defects on infants. I assumed, from what we learned this past Monday in class, that a chronic low-grade inflammation can play a huge role in bringing a negative consequences on infants. But, the main take-home message I realized from this article was this: "Obese women should be informed of the risks associated with maternal obesity, be screened for gestational diabetes, and be assessed for the need for supplements of vitamins and minerals, including folate."
ReplyDeleteThis article was convincing for me, despite the "gaps in knowledge" (missing info). It only makes sense to me, knowing the information we have already been exposed to, not just from Monday's class, but also through everyday news sources, that being pregnant and obese will likely cause at least one type of complication. It's easy to assume that if there are already high risks factors for being obese alone or before pregnancy, then chances are there will be complications or negative consequences during and after, even for the baby. I agree that every woman should talk to their doctor (whether they are obese or not) before and during pregnancy to ensure that they will be going into it in the most educated, healthy way possible, for themselves and especially the baby.
ReplyDeleteOne of the "gaps in knowledge" from this article that had me wanting to know more is when the author mentioned a new review suggesting that birth defects, such as cleft palate and spina bifida, can be caused from obese women. I don't know much about either of these, not to mention, I always associated cleft palate with newborns from third-world countries birthed from mother's who are malnourished. So thinking twice, this article does mention that 'Obese women have been shown to have nutritional deficiencies,' therefore whether a woman is obese or not, she can still be lacking some important nutrients required for a healthy baby. It would be great to see more studies being done relating to these topics.