A GP guide to managing obesity in pregnancy
Almost half of women enter pregnancy in the overweight or obese range
Obesity is a common issue in obstetric care, as it is in the general Australian population.
Only about 50% of women enter pregnancy in the healthy weight range, about 25% are in the overweight range, about 20% have obesity, while a small proportion are classified as underweight.1
The rate of obesity in pregnancy has risen in recent years, contributed to by overall rising obesity rates in the population, and increasing maternal age.
The obstetric risks associated with overweight and obesity rise with increasing BMI, so that women in the healthy weight range have the lowest rates of complications, increasing in the overweight, and then again with increasing degrees of obesity.
