More than 50 percent of pregnant women, myself included, gain more weight than the recommended national guidelines. Personally, I had grand ambitions of maintaining my pre-pregnancy workout routine, or at least a modified version, and sticking to my usual healthy eating habits for the entire 40 weeks. But then I was sidelined for several months by unrelenting fatigue and an odd form of morning sickness where only Mexican cuisine agreed with my stomach. Although I resumed exercising and eating a more diverse diet, I wasn't able to keep my weight gain within the suggested range.
Perhaps I would have been more successful if my prenatal check-ups had been structured as meetings with other women of similar gestational ages, rather than the traditional doctor visit. According to a growing body of research, women who received group prenatal care benefitted in a number of ways, including weight management. Futurity reports:
Researchers found that women who participated in prenatal care delivered in a group setting as opposed to the traditional approach--which typically involves a series of regular one-on-one visits with a healthcare provider--saw a 22 percent reduction in the risk of excessive gestational weight gain.
The beneficial effect of group prenatal care was even more pronounced for women who were overweight prior to pregnancy, who saw a 28 percentage points reduction in the risk of excessive gestational weight gain.
The post also notes that past studies have shown prenatal group check-ups can reduce the risk of infants being born with very low birth weights and increase the odds that mothers will breastfeed their babies.
Previously: Eating nuts during pregnancy may protect baby from nut allergies, What's in YOUR blood? A simple blood test may change the face of prenatal care and From womb to world: Stanford Medicine Magazine explores new work on having a baby
Photo by hugrakka
