If the risks of excess weight in pregnant women were already known, a new study shows that this metabolism disorder in the mother conditions the postnatal health of the fetus and increases the risk of obesity, diabetes and cancer during her life. Previous research had shown that being overweight during pregnancy threatens the viability of the embryo.
The study, led by Dr. Daniela Galliano, is a review of other articles published in the journal Gynecological Endocrinology. The results affirm that the children of overweight mothers are 40 percent more likely to be overweight in adulthood , and if they also suffer from gestational diabetes, the probability increases 26 percent more.
Newborns are also at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, autism, schizophrenia, cardiovascular disease, premature aging, and even cancer in the future. "This is because the conditions in the maternal uterus have an effect on fetal physiology known as fetal programming, that is, the environment where the fetus develops conditions its development during postnatal and adult life ," Galliano explained to the SINC agency.
These conclusions emphasize the importance of extreme weight control during pregnancy, not only because of the risk of complications in the fetus, but also because of the long-term implications for the health of the child.
