The relationship between pregnancy and obesity: a call for further research

Presently, approximately 55 percent of American women of childbearing age are overweight or obese. As the obesity epidemic grows unchecked, the relationship between obesity and other major health issues has received additional empricial attention. The current paper briefly highlights several aspects of the relationship between obesity and pregnancy. The paper begins with brief discussions of the relationships between excess body weight and fertility and pregnancy-related complications. The role of pregnancy as a possible risk factor for the development of obesity is addressed, and studies examining the efficacy of behaviroal interventions to control excessive weight gain during pregnancy or help women lose weight following childbirth are then reviewed. The paper concludes with an outline for future research.