Thread: BBC News Site Today, Pregnancy and Obesity…

Originally Posted by alex

I don't see that this issue of "blame" is relevant. The article is not shouting blame at overweight pregnant women, it's pointing out that pregnancies in obese women are likely to be higher risk, which is a simple fact.

Fat people ARE more of an expense to the NHS, what's controversial about that? Obviously they should get the treatment they need. But I don't see that simply saying that obesity is a financial challenge is in itself wrong.

I agree

I wouldn't want to go to a GP who didn't offer me impartial advice.
If you are paying someone, then they is always the risk that they'll offer you advice that will suit their pockets....NHS docs tell you whats best for you in my experience. I've had some brutal comments in the past, but in retrospect It was for my own good.

I personally think that there should be a limit to the amount of care given to smokers/heavy drinkers and obese people who don't listen to the advice or use the resources provided by their GPs and hospitals.
I have heard of alcoholics who have had TWO liver transplants because they carried on drinking after they got the first one. Or people with serious asthma or even emphysema who carry on smoking even when they use several inhalers and are on oxygen!

Everything should be done to help people who need it, but if they are taking no care with themselves then there has to be a line drawn....I dunno what I'd do about people who are obese but continue to eat badly and not exercise or make any effort after intervention, but I'm sure there has to be a line drawn there too.

Yes, the individual makes the choice to try to conceive, but then if they require more care that affects society as a whole, ultimately, under this system. Sometimes hard choices have to be made about financial priorities.

There have indeed been numerous articles on the cost of smoking-related diseases to the NHS. And everytime there is a suggestion about drug treatments, such as prescribing heroin, that is very controversial.

In the case of anorexia, I'm confused as to why you single out people with a pyschological disorder. Mental illness are hugely underfunded in this country. People do not choose to suffer from anorexia and it has one of the highest fatality rates of all mental illnesses. Aside from that, it's relatively rare. Do you wish to "blame" them in the same way you dislike being "blamed" for being overweight? That seems unfair.

Again, why are we casting about for some group of people to blame?

Alex

Edited - because I had a brain flip and didn't complete one of my sentences!

hi
i saw this news, too on the net. Saying that, i was about 13 stone altogether with i was preg. And i was quite ill. Pre-eclampsia, mostly in hosp due to dehydration etc..... i dont think of 13 stone as huge. That's about 190 or so lb
eva

I want to post another perspective on this subject, but I do agree with the article. I've seen it firsthand. My best friend's daughter-in-law is very obese, nearing 400 pounds. Her first baby ended up okay. But her second ended up with resp distress, she ended up with gestational diabetes both times, pre-eclamypsia (sp?), loads of other problems, etc. She did smoke throughout the pregnancy though.
Anyway for 10 years I've carried 100 extra pounds around. I gained it very quickly from PCOS, but I didn't know it back then. I've managed to lose 70 of it. Over the last 6 years hubby and I have been trying to get pregnant. About 1 month after I had hit the 70 pound mark (January of this year), WHAM, I'm pregnant. Obviously it was the weight loss.
But I am still very, very scared of what consequences these extra 30 pounds will bring. I don't want to end up with gestational diabetes, I already have insulin resistance.
I'm just very scared.

I'm wondering whether I actually want to do into this discussion or not!?!

I am obese and pg, i have a lot of NHS attention because of the potential risk, when infact theres actually nothing wrong with me.

I can understand both sides of this arguement, no matter what weight you are there can be complications in pregnancy. However, it is a fact that people who are overweight have more health risks in general.

Well I'm a perfect example....

First pregnancy - weight 13 stone - totally normal, no problems apart from a slight blood pressure blip at around 20 weeks which resolved itself without intervention, full of energy and vitality, felt wonderful, normal vaginal delivery.

Second pregnancy - weight 15 stone - persistent thrush, unstable blood pressure, fatigue, fortnightly midwife appointments required, 2 consultant appointments required so far, GTT and a futher consultant appointment scheduled for 28 weeks....and I'm only 25 weeks pregnant.

I dread to think what this pregnancy is costing the NHS as compared with my first...

The bottom line is anyone with an unhealthy body - whether they be overweight, smokers, excessive drinkers, suffering from an eating disorder etc - is going to cost the NHS more money than someone with a healthy body....end of story.....

If you are pregnant and obese you MUST be monitored closely...both for your safety and the safety of the baby. It is high risk and the only way to minimise the risk of loss of life of one or other is to keep a close eye.

Personally, for me, I will not be trying for another baby until I'm a much healthier weight...it's just too hard work as compared to my first pregnancy!

What gets me is that people are saying about the extra that overweight pregnant women cost the NHS.
National Insurance is there to pay for our medical treatment.
The government fritters away money and then puts it onto the public, saying that we are wasting their money blah blah blah
Ok yes, larger ladies may cost more than a skinny woman, but why arent the government complaining about women who smoke during pregnany and the ones that because of that smoking, have poorly babies that need special care, a VERY expensive thing.
We dont hear about all of the money spent on caring for babies born to druggy mothers, the ones that need extra care because they are withdrawing from the drugs the mothers take.
But we DO hear them moaning that overweight women are a burden!!!
Seems a little unfair really doesnt it!!!
If they are going to publicise the issue of obese women then for heavens sake, publicise the rest of the different women that are costing the NHS a fortune but smoking and or doing drugs during pregnancy.
Makes me think about how they wanted to put numbers of help lines and stuff in plus size clothing - but not into, say, tiny clothes.
They feel that fat people should have to endure the shame of having things like that in their clothing.
What about tiny people, Asda now sells size 4 womens clothes, they look like childrens clothes, but do they government want to put numbers in their clothes for help lines for anorexia/bulimia? No, because they know that its not moral, but hey, morbidly thin is much better than morbidly fat right?
Its a pile of crap - Britain HAS started fat bashing and Im pretty damn sick of it.
Yes, I agree that we could cost alot of money, but so could the ultra skinny women too, but rather than being shamed along with us fat chicks, theyre held up as public icons.
Young women are becoming ill and dying all over Britain because of the new fascination with being ultra skinny, and they have the gall to fat bash - PATHETIC - TRULY PATHETIC.

As for me - I would love to lose at least another 2-3 stones in weight before falling pregnant, but to be honest, if the choice is being pregnant and obese or never having children at all, then Ill take being pregnant and obese, obviously not my ideal scenario, but in the event of having those two choices, Id rather be able to have a child at this weight than get slim and never have a child at all.

There, now thats MY opinion.
Ive aired it just to air it, not to have it argued with.
I respect all opinions on this subject so please, nobody try pick holes in my logic.

The governement and media DO publicise to mothers that smoke during pregnancy and take drugs etc. In fact on tv last week (think GMTV but Im not sure?) there was a small boy born to a mother who was an alcoholic. When I went for my scan the photo was given to me in a frame that said "Stop smoking in pregnancy etc etc". The bounty book is full of advice on stopping smoking and not taking drugs/alcohol etc. In fact, I think the dangers of being obese and pregnant are a lot LESS publicised than any other risk factors during pregnancy.

If someone were 9 months pregnant, and lit up a fag... she would get ALOT of dirty looks and comments. When I fell pregnant I was still smoking and immediately got referred to a stop smoking clinic.

I swear....I'm not poking holes in your logic, I'm just expressing my opinion!!!! A couple of little points...

Originally Posted by StephUk

If they are going to publicise the issue of obese women then for heavens sake, publicise the rest of the different women that are costing the NHS a fortune but smoking and or doing drugs during pregnancy.

I agree with Naomi on this point. If you are smoking, drinking or doing anything else you shouldn't be doing when you're pregnant you are shamed beyond belief! By midwives, doctors....peers even!!! I personally believe that this is worse than any shame I've ever felt for being a fatty! Huge resources are poured into reducing the numbers of women 'using' whatever during pregnancy every year - it's a massive priority.

Originally Posted by StephUk

What about tiny people, Asda now sells size 4 womens clothes, they look like childrens clothes, but do they government want to put numbers in their clothes for help lines for anorexia/bulimia? No, because they know that its not moral, but hey, morbidly thin is much better than morbidly fat right?
Its a pile of crap - Britain HAS started fat bashing and Im pretty damn sick of it.
Yes, I agree that we could cost alot of money, but so could the ultra skinny women too, but rather than being shamed along with us fat chicks, theyre held up as public icons.
Young women are becoming ill and dying all over Britain because of the new fascination with being ultra skinny, and they have the gall to fat bash - PATHETIC - TRULY PATHETIC.

I actually think that there is huge pressure on women not to be size zero wanna-be's anymore. More and more people are recognising that it's not a good look, there's greater awareness of the effect of being 'morbidly thin' on fertility and health in general. This increased awareness is because it's become and priority for society in general. It's been recognised that it's a problem, a costly one, which needs to be addressed. I two friends who are extremely thin....very thin. They are the size they are not because they have eating disorders, but because they are naturally like that. They suffer disapproval just as overweight women do....