Diet And Exercise Help Reduce The Risk Of Pregnancy Issues For Mom And Baby

Mothers-to-be who are eating healthy and regularly exercising are more likely to have a smoother pregnancy and easier birth. Recent findings published in the journal BMC Medicine reveal that these health benefits are directly linked to reduced risk of future problems during this critical time.

"While it might have been expected that healthier eating and increased physical activity during pregnancy would be associated with differences in weight gain, our findings highlight that weight gain in pregnancy is not an ideal measure of pregnancy health," said lead study author Prof. Jodie Dodd, from the University of Adelaide's Robinson Research Institute and the Women's and Children's Hospital, in a news release. "Importantly, however, these changes in diet and physical activity were directly associated with significant improvements in outcomes for babies."

Researchers found a strong reduction in the number of babies born over 8 pounds to mothers who were regularly active and eating a healthy diet during their pregnancy.

The new findings reiterate that diet and physical activity can also help to reduce the risk of certain health issues that could reduce labor risks or other health issues, such as the risk of moderate to severe respiratory distress syndrome.

"Approximately 50% of women are overweight or obese during pregnancy. Until this study was conducted, there had been little evidence about the overall benefits of dietary and lifestyle interventions on this group of women," added study co-author Dr. Rosalie Grivell of the University's Robinson Research Institute.

"Our hope is that by following some simple, practical and achievable lifestyle advice, pregnant women can improve their health and the outcomes for their babies," she concluded. "We would, of course, recommend that these lifestyle changes be adopted as much as possible before women become pregnant."