Weight loss scales – This is a prescription you can hear from your doctor or midwife to improve your chances of fertility. They donate it easily, but is it really that important? Can you ignore it?

The influence of the nutritional status of the mother before pregnancy is very important. Body mass index (BMI) is used as an indicator of nutritional status.

• A healthy weight during pregnancy is best for the baby

If your BMI is over 24.9 kg/m², you are overweight but you have an exciting challenge ahead. You are in a very fortunate position to have one of the biggest motivators to losing weight: having a healthy baby.

Increasing BMI has an impact on many aspects of fertility, successful and safe pregnancies, and most importantly, healthy babies. It is a linear relationship. As weight increases, the risks increase.

Weight gain is associated with:

• Low pregnancy rate.
• The risk of miscarriage increases.
• The possibility of complications during pregnancy increases (high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, development of blood clots or a defect in the fetus such as a neural tube or a heart defect).
• Less accurate ultrasound. Ultrasound may not be as accurate in overweight women because the quality of the ultrasound is poor. Therefore, detecting any problem can be more difficult.
• High rate of induction of labour.
• Higher rates of unsuccessful induction (where labor cannot be induced, requiring a cesarean delivery).
• There are more problems with cesarean delivery, as it can be technically challenging in overweight women and the risks of anesthesia are higher. Women who are overweight (compared to women of normal weight) are more likely to develop complications, including wound infections and blood clots after a cesarean delivery.
• You are more likely to have a large (older) baby. May result in obstructed labor, resulting in high rates of surgical delivery (forceps, aspiration or caesarean section).

If you’re overweight and planning to get pregnant, here’s your challenge: Minimize the risks of all of the above. Every kilogram helps. The best study to date to prove this found that a small weight loss (average of 6.3 kg) in the setting group over six months resulted in improved ovulation, pregnancy rates, and pregnancy outcomes.

The way to successfully lose weight is to make healthy lifestyle changes that you can maintain. Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Be organized. Prepare an action plan. This will include planning what you will eat during the week, preparing your grocery list and making sure you are organized each day. Make sure to offer at least five vegetables, one fruit, and two liters of water each day. If you have healthy food options available, this makes it easier for you to stick to your plan.
2. be cerfull. Not only does keeping a food and activity diary help you keep track of what you eat, it has also been found to lead to weight loss. Every day may take time but – good things take time!
3. Watch your portion sizes. There is no such thing as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ food, it’s just how much we enjoy. Losing and maintaining your weight does not mean that you should abstain from certain foods, it just means that you should avoid the amount you were eating before. Tools like Toolplate System make this simple and easy.
4. Eating breakfast Skipping breakfast impairs your memory, focus, and problem-solving skills, which means you’re less productive at work. People who skip breakfast may slow down their metabolism and weigh more than those who eat breakfast. Breakfast slippers also tend to overeat later in the day.
5. Enjoy the exercise. Find an activity that you enjoy and just do it. Wearing a pedometer has been proven to help you lose weight if you make yourself a daily goal. Start slowly, then aim to walk at least 10,000 steps daily.

Weight gone. This is your challenge – and you can do it!