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Obesity In America Essay

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Introduction
Obesity is a current rising problem in America, including a large number of obese pregnant women. Obesity in pregnancy can cause numerous problems for the pregnant mother and also increase risk of medical problems for the unborn child. Obese moms need more prenatal care, and with a higher risk of the baby being obese and having lifelong medical problems and also needing more health care throughout its lifetime, the cost from needed care rises. Preconception care and planning along with a healthy diet and exercise can help prevent and avoid many of these complications.

Body
Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) over 30 (mayo). To assist in visualization, a woman who is 64 inches and 170lbs is obese, a woman who is 66 inches and 186lbs is obese, and a woman who is 69 inches and 203lbs is obese (nhlbi). More than one third of Americans are obese (cdc phone) and more than one half of pregnant women are overweight or obese before becoming pregnant (Acog). Because being obese puts one at a considerably higher risk for many health issues, it requires that person to seek more health care and use more health resources than that of someone who is a healthy weight. The CDC says that …show more content…

Several of these include but are not limited to: gestational diabetes, pre eclampsia, thrombosis, pregnancy loss, and a higher rate of induction (mayo). “According to the 2014 analysis by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the prevalence of gestational diabetes is as high as 9.2%”(ada what). Gestational diabetes is just one of the many costly health issues whose risk skyrockets with overweight and obese pregnant women. Treatment generally includes special diet and exercise, but in some cases can also include insulin injections (ada how). Gestational diabetes can cause increased health risks for the unborn child and also increase health risks that can carry over into

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