There are many good reasons why weight control should be part of family planning, one is a recent research report.

Based on the study, couples who are thinking of starting a family or are struggling with infertility would do well to include weight control in their plans.
 
According to the report, when compared with healthy-weight couples, overweight/obese couples have a reduced fecundity.   The finding is so even if one partner is overweight.
 
Fecundity is the physiological ability to reproduce.

For the study researchers interviewed 47,835 pregnant Danish women and men about their weight and fecundity. They found that increasing body mass index (BMI) in both women and men increased the risk of subfecundity.

Seventy-five percent of the men and 32% of the women were overweight or obese.

It is therefore wise for couples who are having problems with fertility to make weight control a part of their lifestyle.

Other research reports have identified certain maternal factors that can put both mother's and baby's health at risk. For example:
1-Obese/overweight  pregnant women are at greater risk for pregnancy related illnesses such as gestational diabetes, more likely to have a cesarean section and have a large baby.
2-Maternal obesity is also a cause of neonatal and childhood obesity.

A body mass index of 25 and over is overweight, one of over 30 is obese.

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