The British Nutrition Foundation has found that obesity, asthma, allergies, cardiovascular disease and many more conditions might be determined in the womb, based on your mother’s weight and health during pregnancy, and before she conceives. Sara Stanner, science programme manager at BNF, asserted, ‘There is now unequivocal evidence to show the biological link between obesity and weight-related health issues in women and their children.’
She explained, ‘This is a very important message in the fight against obesity. Women need to know that their weight and health, during pregnancy and even before they conceive, plays a key part in securing a healthy long-term future for their children. Once a baby is conceived, the biological framework for its future health is already set, so, where possible, women should look to improve their health status before they conceive. A major challenge the UK faces in addressing the obesity epidemic is the fact that around half of all pregnancies in the UK are unplanned.’
According to Louise Silverton, director for midwifery at the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), ‘We look forward to this report with great interest. We know that good nutrition is incredibly important to the health of the pregnant woman and her developing baby. Good nutrition in pregnancy can also have a significant impact on the health of the baby well into its adult life, and midwives are perfectly placed to stress the importance of a good diet before and during pregnancy.’
She continued, ‘‘Obesity is without doubt a problem and can have detrimental effects in pregnancy. It is an issue we need to tackle and midwives have a key role to play in helping obese women in their care, to promote better health in their pregnancy and beyond. This is a public health role of the midwife that is often overlooked and under-recognised. We are desperately short of midwives in England and investment is needed in midwifery so that they can carry out this part of their work much more effectively, to the benefit of the public health of the nation. These findings also show the value of preconception care and midwives can provide this as part of their care after birth in readiness for later pregnancies.’
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