It is still the topic of research on how being underweight affects the baby during pregnancy. Around 40 percent of Indian women are affected by being underweight when they face pregnancy. Body mass and body weight are the two essential factors that matter a lot. It is found that babies are born undernourished where mothers are underweight. This further influences height, cognitive ability, and productivity. The child can also be at risk of getting any disease that may persist throughout their life.

Being underweight during pregnancy can be an attribute to undernourishment. It can cause nausea, vomiting, and severe health issues during the trimester of pregnancy. Underweight during pregnancy is determined through BMI (Body Mass Index). Having less than 18.5 kg/m2 is a sign of being underweight during pregnancy. It increases the risk factors. The risk factors may further include: 

– Preterm delivery

– Low birth weight of the baby

– vulnerable to various severe illnesses to both mother and child

– Increase in mortality rate in both mother and child

Get all your pediatric issues and fertility-related problems treated under one roof. Bloom Hospital brings you a place where you can get hassle-free services with complete comfort and care. The hospital specializes in maternity health issues and has been serving for years in the line of healthcare. Track your health and get the high chances of getting a healthy baby with Bloom Hospital.

How is weight gain an important factor for pregnancy?

Gaining weight during pregnancy is a sign of a healthy baby. It caters to the growth of the newborn child. Weight gain is an important component for the storage of breast milk after delivery. The most important fact is that the risk associated with being underweight can be offset by starting to put on some weight. Being underweight and being pregnant is not a big matter to concern as long as the mother is healthy and receiving a good amount of nutrition. But adding weight becomes important especially in the second or third trimester of pregnancy.

It sometimes becomes difficult for some women to gain weight during pregnancy. But, it is critical for the growth of an unborn baby. Weight gain helps to understand the necessities of the child. It helps to understand whether the unborn baby is getting adequate nutrition or not.

Most of the time, women do not feel problems while gaining weight during pregnancy but for others, it is a big issue to discuss. There may be several reasons why the mother is not able to gain weight. These may include morning sickness, metabolism, and others. Just being underweight can put the pregnancy at risk. It is associated with the bad health of the baby that the parents should be aware of.

What Are The Risk Factors Does a Low Weight Pregnant Woman Face?

Underweight pregnancy can affect both the unborn baby and the mother. Here are some of the major points discussed related to the risk factors to both baby and the mother:

Risks to the Mother

• If you are underweight, you are most likely to have a lack of nutrients like iron, folic acid, or you may also be at risk of miscarriage.
• Premature deliveries are also common in certain cases. The baby may be born before the 37th week of pregnancy.
• If you are underweight, you may require cesarean-section delivery.
• There can occur the chances of developing anemia or osteoporosis later in life. This is serious for both fetus and the mother as being underweight doesn’t provide enough nourishment to the child.
• There may be a decrease in the supply of breastfeeding. You may likely take supplements to complete the need for breastfeeding. 

Risks to the Baby

• Your unborn baby may be at risk of being born with low weight due to undernourishment and underweight.
• If your baby is born underweight, there may be chances of a bad health condition later in life.
• Lack of immunity could be the consequence of being born from an undernourished or underweight mother.
• Your baby may be at risk of suffering from diabetes or any heart-related issue in the future.
• There may occur the chances of infant mortality
• Your baby may be at risk of getting infected by certain types of viruses or other diseases
• There can be some increased risk of mental health or learning disabilities. There can occur issues related to hearing or sightseeing due to low weight.

Ensuring the health of the mother carrying a baby

Certain parameters are needed to be considered while you are expecting a baby:

• Make sure you have an adequate intake of folic acid during pregnancy. It will further hinder the chances of neural tube defects.
• Talk to your doctor about prenatal vitamins. Ask whether these supplements need to be taken through medication or with the help of food.
• Have a word with your dietician. Your dietician will give you guidance regarding your diet plan to gain weight.
• Lookup for some innovative recipes so that they can help you gain weight with some twist in the taste. Blend the taste with some spices and healthy food. It will help you remain nourished from the inside.
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water or more to remain hydrated all day long.

Take a proper diet even if you are underweight

• If you are following a plan or diet that is making you underweight, try to change it to a healthy diet. Aim at gaining a small amount of weight in different intervals.
• Avoid taking high-calorie food and sugar or fat. Sugar enriched food has less nutrition. This may affect the baby with high blood pressure and weight gain later in life.
• Try to add food that helps to grow from inside. Food like green vegetables, sprouts, healthy vegetable soup, pulses, dairy products, etc will help the baby to grow.
• Take food that is rich in nutrition, vitamins, fats, and minerals like nuts, avocado, chicken, unsaturated fats like olive oil and sunflower oil. Take healthy fats in different meals.
• Try to switch your diet plan if your current diet plan is not working. Eat pasta, whole grain cereals and take two small meals with three healthy snacks daily.
• Make your body flexible and prepared for body gain. Do daily routine exercise. Try to cut it down if you are doing heavy or a lot of exercises. Do at least 30 minutes of exercise daily or at least four days a week.
• Remember that exercise helps to gain strenuous weight and stay healthy in pregnancy. You can perform some gentle activities like swimming, yoga, walking, etc.

Conclusion

The Bloom Hospital specializes in providing care to both mother and the child. The hospital has gained a name in the healthcare industry with its quality services and top-notch facilities. All the doctors are certified and well trained. The doctors, physicians, and surgeons work closely to provide daily operations and services. They bring comfort with them and create a way for a better life. They help the mother and the baby to recover faster.