Overweight And Pregnancy

Overweight And Pregnancy
In cultures where overweight is a problem, the word has
pretty well gotten out about the benefits of weight loss.
In the United States for example, statistics indicate that
a large majority of the population is overweight. How large
of a majority? How about two-thirds. Put another way, only
one-third of people in the US are not overweight. This
really is a stunning reality, and it has led to a wave of
public information about the dangers of being overweight.

Most people in the US then are aware that being overweight
can lead to a host of health problems. Some of the health
problems linked to overweight include increased risk of
heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and even certain kinds of
cancer. There is an additional problem linked to overweight
that typically doesn't get much consideration however: the
link between women being overweight and a difficulty with
getting pregnant.

Having trouble getting pregnant may not seem as significant
as having a heart attack or stroke, but it is a real
consideration for some people. Though the data is not
necessarily clear-cut, there seem to be a number of reasons
why overweight women can have difficulty conceiving. One
reason may have to do with a particular hormonal imbalance.
Leptin is a hormone that's typically deficient in people
who are overweight. Leptin is thought to play a role in
appetite regulation and energy levels. Leptin may also be
linked to fertility levels in women: the lower the levels
of Leptin in a woman's body, the more difficult it may be
for a woman to conceive.

A second link between overweight and a difficulty getting
pregnant is thought to be the ovulation cycle. Women who
are overweight and obese can have ovulation cycles that are
abnormal and even non-existent. The problem here of course
is that ovulation is when a woman's fertility capacity is
replenished and renewed. Without the capacity for fertility
to begin with, pregnancy is not just difficult but
impossible. A final possibility is that a woman who's
considerably overweight simply may not possess the good
health needed for the conception process to take place.
Contrary to what may be popular belief, conception isn't an
automatic process: conception occurs more easily in women
who are younger and in good overall health.

It's important to bear in mind that weight gain during a
pregnancy is an absolutely normal and appropriate process.
What may be problematic is excess body weight before
pregnancy takes place. Not only may a normal body weight
increase the odds of conception occurring, it will also
almost certainly improve the likelihood for a healthy and
normal pregnancy term.

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Zinn Jeremiah is a freelance writer. For help with weight
loss, visit http://www.hubonline.biz/lose-now.htm or
http://www.hubonline.biz/get-fit.htm .