Warning over ‘epidemic of obesity’ in pregnant women

HEALTH professionals in Britain are dealing with “an epidemic of obesity” among pregnant women as weight gain across the wider population continues to rise, experts have warned.

About half of women of childbearing age are either overweight (with a BMI of 25-29.9) or obese (with a BMI of 30 or above) and approximately 16% of women in England are obese from the start of pregnancy, according to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice).

The organisation launched new public health guidance yesterday on weight management before, during and after pregnancy, in the face of growing evidence concerning female obesity and the related risks it poses for both the mother and baby.