Excess weight, diabetes risky in pregnancy

Women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) who gain excess weight are at increased risk ofpreterm preterm and caesarean delivery. Few studies have examined the relation between pregnancy weight gain and outcome in women with GDM - diabetes that develops during pregnancy and resolves after delivery. To investigate this relation, researchers from America reviewed the medical records of 31,074 women with GDM and single pregnancies. They recorded the pre-pregnancy weight and followed the weight gain as pregnancy progressed. Standard guidelines suggest that weight gain during pregnancy for normal weight women should be between 10 and 15 kg. Women who are overweight before being pregnant are advised to gain a little less - 6 to 12 kg - while underweight women should put on 12 to 20 kg. As per these guidelines, one third of the women in the study had weight gain below that recommended; one third gained weight within the guidelines, and the remaining third gained excess weight. It was found that women who exceeded the recommended weight gain were more likely to have a primary cesarean delivery compared with women in the other two groups. Further, women whose weight gain was below the recommended range were at a higher risk of having a small for age infants and less likely to have a large for age infant. These women were also more likely to successfully manage their GDM through diet. The above findings show that women who gain too much weight during pregnancy are more likely to deliver larger infants and to have preterm deliveries. They are also more apt to need medical therapy to control their blood sugar. The researchers noted that since there are no specific recommendations regarding the ideal amount of weight gain for women diagnosed with GDM currently, standards needs to be worked out for the same.