Women who are heavier or taller than average or whose pregnancies last longer than usual appear to be more likely than other women to have an extra-heavy baby, as recently reported by researchers. Previous studies have shown that exercising moderately while pregnant can reduce the risk of having a large baby.
Women who are planning to get pregnant should see their doctor before they start trying because they should to be in the best health they can prior to conception. They should be eating well, avoiding obesity and exercising even before they try to get pregnant. Other factors that seem to increase the odds of having a big baby include having had at least two previous pregnancies, and a male fetus. The more education a woman has, the more likely she may be to have a baby who weighs more. While women have long been advised not to gain too much weight during pregnancy, the new study confirms that it may make sense to slim down before becoming pregnant. Identifying risk factors for high birth-weight is important, because having an extremely heavy baby can cause breathing problems in the infant, as well as a difficult delivery and long-term incontinence for the mother. In addition, a number of studies have suggested that heavy newborns tend to become heavy adults. But, as the researchers point out, it is often difficult to predict a child's birth weight, even during the mother's third trimester of pregnancy.
DoctorNDTV is the one stop site for all your health needs providing the most credible health information, health news and tips with expert advice on healthy living, diet plans, informative videos etc. You can get the most relevant and accurate info you need about health problems like diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, weight loss and many other lifestyle diseases. We have a panel of over 350 experts who help us develop content by giving their valuable inputs and bringing to us the latest in the world of healthcare.