A recent study shows obesity during pregnancy is now a common condition that affects about one in five American women who give birth.

Dr. Mohamed Faisal is a neonatologist at the Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. He says, “In America the rates of obesity have been going up. In the 1980’s the average weight of a pregnant woman was in the 180 pound range now the average weight is 200 pounds.”

With those extra pounds come extra risks. Physicians say obese pregnant women have an increased risk for lots of conditions including hypertensive disorders and gestational diabetes. But it’s not just the mother who may experience problems because of her weight. “We’re seeing a lot of high risk babies being born to obese moms, particularly prematurely. Apparently there’s an ongoing fat cell breakdown in obese moms that creates a lot of different chemicals that can cross over to the baby and cause more of a problem,” says Dr. Faisal.

Neonatologists like Dr. Fasial say many women do not realize that a poor diet during pregnancy can literally cause life-long problems for their unborn baby. “If the health of a mother is not right the baby is going to be born prematurely and not a healthy baby as such, which means that every system in the baby including the brain and the heart and the kidneys, the lungs, are not as mature as they should be. Mothers when pregnant have to be very careful.”

A low fat diet that’s high in grains, fruits and vegetables is what most physicians recommend for pregnant women. Talk with your gynecologist or a nutritionist to find out what meal plan may be best for you.

Research shows pregnant women who are obese use both inpatient and outpatient services more frequently than pregnant women with a healthy weight.