Experts from the University of Queensland (Australia) concluded that obesity in women of reproductive age (especially in the period from 18 to 30 years) significantly increases the risk of developing hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, reports Eurekalert.
Doctors for 13 years tracked the weight and health status of nearly three thousand pregnant Australians born between 1973 and 1978.
As it turned out, women who had signs of obesity a few years before pregnancy, the risk of developing hypertensive disorders during the period of carrying a child are nearly three times higher than that of the fairer sex with “optimal” body mass index.
“High blood pressure during pregnancy can cause preeclampsia a complication, which in turn may be the cause of premature birth,” – said the researcher of school of public health Akili Adana.
Doctors warn that parents should think about their health long before pregnancy.
Previously, scientists have found that men with overweight and obesity is three times more at risk of premature death.
