Women who gain weight after giving birth for the first time dramatically increase their risk of developing pregnancy-related diabetes during their second pregnancy, a new study suggests.
Compared with women of similar height who maintain their weight, a 5-foot-4 woman who gains roughly 12 to 17 pounds after giving birth more than doubles her odds of developing diabetes during her second pregnancy, the study found. If she gains 18 pounds or more, she more than triples her odds.
(The study used body mass index, a ratio of height to weight, so problematic weight gain will vary according to a woman’s height.)
Diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy, known as gestational diabetes, is influenced by hormonal changes and normal weight gain and usually goes away after the baby is born.
It can lead to birth complications, however, and it also increases a woman’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. In addition, it makes the baby more prone to diabetes and obesity as he grows up.
Read the complete article at CNN.com.