We plan for school, work, holidays and even retirement, but what about for starting a family?
Some pregnancies are planned, and some aren't, but one thing
is for sure and that's that babies start to develop long before many women even
know they are expecting. Planning for a family needs to begin long before sperm
meets egg, and nutrition needs to be a primary consideration.
Nutritionally, and historically speaking in the early and mid
90's folic acid was a primary concern for females of reproductive age in our
province. It was estimated that about 20% of women were considered to have poor
folate intakes. The rate of neural tube defects in our province at that time
was also the highest in Canada. Five times the North American average to be
exact. Since then mandatory fortification of folacin in cereal products has
helped to reduce the rate of defects in Canada by about 50%. Today, it's not
just about adequate levels of folate for pregnancy, it's also important to
consider body weight when planning for a family. More and more research is
starting to tell us that a healthy weight before and during pregnancy is just
as more important.
Last week an interesting study was released suggesting a
link with autism and obesity. It was the first of it's kind and showed us that
obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure were more prevalent among mothers of
children with autism or other developmental disorders. Specifically, obese
women were 67% more likely to have a child with autism compared to mothers who
were a healthy weight. They were also twice as likely to have a child with
another developmental disorder. It also suggested diabetes might be a factor
too. Mothers with diabetes were found to have nearly twice the chance of having
a child with developmental delays as healthy mothers. Is it a coincidence that
obesity, diabetes and autism rates are increasing across the nation? In 2003
the prevalence for autism was 1 in 450, now it's approximately one in 110
children who have the disorder. As for a direct recommendations? Time will have
to tell. As we know this is only one study but it does bring about some
interesting information and food for thought for women considering a pregnancy.
According to Stats Canada, currently 29% of women are
overweight, and 23% are obese across the nation. Obesity rates have climbed the
fastest for women aged 25 to 34, nearly doubling in the past 25 years. Being
overweight or obese prior to pregnancy can lead to infertility, miscarriage,
stillbirth, high blood pressure and preeclampsia, diabetes during pregnancy and
complications during labor and delivery. Obesity during pregnancy can also lead
to other significant health risks as well, for both mother and baby. Obese women
are at risk for complications such as heart disease, pulmonary disease, high
blood pressure, diabetes during pregnancy, and sleep apnea. Babies are at risk
for birth defects (including a higher risk for neural tube defects), preterm
birth, injury, death after birth, or childhood obesity.
If you're looking for more information on planning for a
healthy family, Eastern Health has certainly recognized the importance of this
and launched a new site last month. B4UR Pregnant focuses on health and
lifestyle tips for females planning to become pregnant, including general
recommendations for lifestyle, diet and tips to reach and maintain your best
weight and health. For more information visit: www.easternhealth.ca.
As seen in The Telegram April 16, 2012
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