You probably know by now that if you are planning to become pregnant, there are many steps you need to take before you become pregnant to ensure having a healthy and easy pregnancy. Reaching your healthy weight is one very crucial step that no woman should ignore. So what is the importance of weight before pregnancy? And why is it crucial to lose weight before becoming pregnant?

Being overweight affects fertility and it will actually make it harder for you to become pregnant in the first place, so reaching a healthy weight may very well be the first step to becoming pregnant. Fertility, however, is not the only thing being overweight affects. Being overweight before becoming pregnant increases the risk of several pregnancy complications. In fact, recent research may suggest that pre-pregnancy weight is more significant than previously believed.

The following are some complications that may be caused by being overweight before and during your pregnancy:

• Being overweight increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, and premature delivery.
• Being overweight increases the chances of developing preeclampsia, a condition marked by elevated blood pressure in the mother. If this condition is left untreated, it can prove fatal to the mother or the baby.
• Gestational diabetes is another condition that overweight pregnant women are more likely to get. This condition causes elevated high blood sugar. This usually goes away after birth, but women who had gestational diabetes are more likely to develop type II diabetes later on in life, especially if they are still overweight.
• Women who are overweight at the time of birth are more likely to deliver via C-section because obesity can make vaginal delivery difficult.
• Being overweight can cause birth defects in the baby, and ultrasound imaging is not as effective in obese women to detect such defects.

If you are overweight and have decided you are ready to become a mother, you should try leading a more healthy life by increasing your physical activity and eating more healthily to lose weight. If you have tried losing weight with no results, consult your doctor or a specialist to help you achieve a healthy weight before you become pregnant. This will ensure you and your baby a healthy pregnancy.