Of course, there is overweight and overweight, and being overweight can affect your health, your fertility, and possibly your baby. But the good news is that you are taking part in your health and that of your child: by making the right food choices, you can take action to protect your baby.

Overweight is a general term to define a condition in which weight is likely to have a negative impact on health, according to statistical evidence.

Thus, overweight is characterized by a Body Mass Index (BMI or BMI) greater than 25. To find out if you are in this case, there are automatic BMI calculators on the Internet. Otherwise, just get a calculator and calculate your BMI as follows:

BMI = Weight / (Height x Height) with the measurements of weight in kilograms and height in meters.

BMI

If your result is less than 25, it means that your current weight poses no medical risk to your health. On the other hand, if your BMI is over 25 you are theoretically overweight. But sometimes the realities are very different. In general, if you are in good shape and in good health and you have a varied and relatively balanced diet, be reassured because you do not run more risk on your health than any pregnant woman, despite having a slightly BMI. greater than 25.

BMI> at 25

On the other hand, the higher your BMI, the more your weight risks having repercussions on your health and causing more or less serious diseases such as high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure for example. In the event of overweight, the risks of miscarriages would be higher during the first trimester, the mother would present more concern of high blood pressure during pregnancy and a risk of gestational diabetes and more frequent cesarean section. On the other hand, excess weight would have no influence on the risk of prematurity.

Obesity – when the BMI is greater than 30 – can indirectly lead to a decrease in fertility in women but also in men, in case of difficulty of conception. Indeed, the more the excess weight is important, the more the hormonal balance is likely to be disturbed and the ovulation of poor quality: the oocytes are of poorer quality, just like the embryos obtained. Obesity is a factor that reduces the effectiveness of medically assisted procreation techniques: there is a 20% drop in the results obtained by In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).

But the good news is that this is not irreversible, quite the contrary: losing weight often allows you to restore normal ovulation and increase the chances of having a successful child!

In case of overweight, and what is more in case of obesity, the risks of presenting diabetes, type 2 and / or high blood pressure are increased.

However, there is very good news if you have one of these diseases and you want to become a mother because in women, it seems that they do not have a direct impact on fertility. But this is unfortunately not valid for humans.

Diabetes

In men, diabetes can decrease the ability to conceive by damaging the DNA in sperm. Indeed, during the conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, Dr Con Mallidis of Queen’s University of Belfast (United Kingdom) declared that his recent work confirmed that diabetics “show a noticeable decrease in DNA repair capabilities present in semen, and once it is damaged, it is not repairable. ”. Researchers have established a link between the quality of DNA in sperm and a decrease in the implantation rate of embryos as well as their morphological quality but also a greater number of spontaneous abortions.

Thus, in the case of diabetic men who wish to have a child, it would be advantageous to provide for a consultation with a diabetologist.

Hypertension

Arterial hypertension (hypertension) can induce erectile dysfunction in men by thickening and hardening the arteries. Doctor Solano, a sex therapist, explains that “According to studies, erectile dysfunction is two to six times higher in men who have hypertension problems compared to those with normal blood pressure.”

In addition, the increase in blood pressure would also cause a decrease in the concentration of spermatozoa in the seminal fluid, which reduces the chances of conception.

Fortunately, treating hypertension at its first sign can effectively delay the risk of difficulty conceiving a child.

Being overweight in itself also poses a risk to the baby because by increasing the mother’s risk of hypertension and diabetes, it increases the risk of premature delivery and neonatal complications. Women who are overweight are also more likely to deliver a baby with a high birth weight (macrosomia) and to deliver by cesarean section.

But it is more the nutritional deficiencies linked to an unvaried and unbalanced diet, poor in vitamins, trace elements and good quality nutrients, which can present risks for the baby.

Vitamin deficiencies

In the event of a deficiency in certain vitamins, such as Vitamin B9 and Vitamin D, the effects on the baby’s development can be significant.

Vitamin B9 is involved in the production of genetic material (including DNA) and the formation of the fetal nervous system. A maternal deficiency can be at the origin, from the 4th week of pregnancy, of serious malformations of the neural tube – which is none other than the outline of the central nervous system – but also of a growth retardation in utero.

Vitamin D, on the other hand, plays a major role in the mineralization of the fetal skeleton by increasing the capacity of the maternal intestine to absorb calcium, the mineral absolutely essential for building baby’s bones.

Micronutrient deficiencies

Certain trace elements, such as iron and iodine, are absolutely essential for the baby.

Iron allows red blood cells to take in oxygen in the lungs and carry it throughout the mother’s body and that of the fetus, via the placenta. Iron deficiency during pregnancy can cause premature delivery or hypotrophy (small baby).

A deficiency in iodine, on the other hand, can have an impact on the baby’s brain development.

In addition, in the event of an unbalanced diet with little variation, it is likely that the intake of good quality fatty acids, such as Omega-3, is not sufficient. However, these precious Omega-3s greatly participate in the development of the cells of the eyes and the brain of the fetus.

But again, nothing is irreversible for you who wish the best for your child!

The desire to become pregnant may be for you, as for many other mothers-to-be, an opportunity to become aware of how to modify your diet. Because to protect your child from these risks associated with overweight, nothing will be more effective than adopting a healthy diet when you want to have a child. Double advantage: it will benefit you too: you will regain your energy and vitality! In short, you and your baby have everything to gain!

It all depends on your situation and how you rank on the BMI scale to make changes in your diet. Here are two concrete examples to help you:

If with hindsight you notice that for several months you have been in a phase of regular weight gain because you eat too much in terms of quantity, the simple fact of listening again to your feelings of hunger and your signs of satiation, by eating calmly and slowly with quantities adapted to your appetite, will be a very big step. Listening to your body and messages about appetite in this way allows you to adapt your food intake to your needs throughout pregnancy.

If in hindsight you realize that you tend to eat the same things very often and moreover processed processed foods that are ready to cook, it is very likely that your diet is unbalanced and somewhat deficient. In this case, take the good resolution to spend a little more time in the kitchen (5 to 10 minutes per meal is enough) to consume more raw foods (rich in vitamins, minerals and trace elements). Your diet will be much healthier and more varied and will serve you and your baby’s health.

Whatever the degree of overweight, deprivation and restriction, sources of stress and compulsions, should be avoided. On the other hand, snacking is a problem to be solved. For this, the starting point is to differentiate between hunger, which is a real need to eat (I feel hunger) and the desire to eat which finds its reason elsewhere than in hunger (I need to relieve anxiety, fear, negative state, etc.). In short, each time you are tempted to snack, ask yourself the following question “is real hunger or do I just want to eat?”

• If you are hungry: treat yourself to a real snack with a few almonds, a fresh fruit or even 1 slice of cereal bread and 2 squares of chocolate with 70% cocoa. Also remember to prepare yourself a drink, hot or cold, that will allow you to fill your stomach well and feel full. And if you regularly experience a hollow during the day, consider eating more with meals, making sure to follow the 10 tips below.
• If you have the urge to eat, but you are not really hungry, it is necessary to put your finger on what prompts you to eat. Boredom and / or emotions are often the driving force behind snacking.

Here are 10 tips that are very simple to implement, without completely changing your eating habits. The idea is to make small, gradual changes in the organization of your meals: avoid adopting all these tips overnight but choose 2-3 and add regularly to your list when the previous ones have become reflexes.

• Always eat breakfast, even if you eat it late in the morning.
• Allow yourself a small, reasonable treat every day: 2 squares of 70% cocoa chocolate, jam in the morning, a piece of cheese, a hot chocolate, a pancake with sugar, etc.
• At the baker’s, take the time to discover the different breads and opt for bread with the least processed ingredients. Avoid white bread and rusks and choose instead cereal breads, rye bread, grain bread, etc.
• Breathe! Try to give yourself a break during the day, even 5 minutes.
• For lunch and dinner, be sure to eat a source of protein (meat, fish, eggs, ham or chicken breast) and vegetables (raw or cooked). Vegetables can be fresh of course, but also canned or frozen.
• Take the time to chew well. This advice may seem simple, but it is extremely valuable!
• At each of the three main meals, finish your meal with a piece of fruit, preferably fresh for its high fiber content which makes it a satiating and satiating food.
• Take stock of your sugar intake. If you take in more than the equivalent of 4 sugars per day, turn to a synthetic sweetener. Some are of very good quality, especially those made from stevia which is all natural.
• Allow yourself a big treat per week: a meal at the restaurant, an invitation, a pastry or a pastry,
• Avoid combining two heavy or unbalanced meals consecutively.