Japan’s women are too thin – in the pregnancy which can be dangerous

Naomi Hayami-Chisuwa was a normal weight before you became pregnant. However, during the pregnancy, the Japanese had problems in order to keep an eye on your weight. Doctors of the Pregnant women advised – the works self-as a nutrition expert in Osaka – until the birth of not more than ten kilograms increase. This is slightly less than the official recommendations of the health authority in Japan suggest: Therefore, pregnant women should increase in the course of the pregnancy between seven and twelve kilograms.

Hayami-Chisuwa wrote on the advice of your doctor, what you daily ate she says in an interview with “CNN”. She was questioned by nurses, which asked about eating habits, “which may be associated with an increase in weight in connection,” explains the Japanese. The 35-Year-old got no specific recommendations, since they healthy eating.

But the experience left impressions in the mother: “in My opinion, nurses and midwives are sick, especially Doctors, are very strict when it comes to weight gain,” described “CNN”.

The reason: women, the increase in the pregnancy is very strong, have an increased risk for health problems, including high blood pressure. On the other hand, a too low weight in pregnancy can affect the development and health of unborn babies: It is even more likely to develop a low birth weight or the risk for a premature birth is increased.

To prevent this, in Japan there is a official recommendations for weight gain during pregnancy: Underweight women (BMI of 18.5 and lower) should increase, therefore, between nine and twelve kilograms. For normal weight women (BMI of 18.6 to less than 25) is the bandwidth between seven and twelve kilograms. A little less in obese (seven kilograms) or obese (five kilograms) in women.

These values differ greatly from those of the Pregnant women placed in Western Nations, which is also due to the different physique. In Germany and the USA, it is recommended that normal weight Pregnant women increase until the birth of about 11.5 to 16 kilograms.

In Japan, all the women, the recommended weight gain which is in an international comparison, already low does not hold, however. Studies from 2010 suggest that up to one in every five Pregnant women less weight increases, as is officially recommended. “Just thin and normal weight Japanese women to take in pregnancy very little weight. This is one of the reasons why the birth weight goes down, the child is low – even in comparison to other East Asian countries, which tend also to thin”, says the Japanese epidemiologist Naho Morisaki in an interview with “CNN”.

The Figures are alarming: In Japan, almost every tenth Baby is coming now with a low birth weight.

What are the reasons?

Every fourth woman of childbearing age is underweight

Naomi Hayami-Chisuwa can only speak from my own experience: she suspects that one of the reasons lies in the practices. Doctors recommend that women have a lower weight gain and Hiking to the official recommendations. This was also the case. Apparently, some women ignore the official recommendations, but also in the hope to facilitate the birth and to be able to return to work after the birth quickly returned to your starting weight. A misconception: A “slim” pregnancy reduces the risk for a cesarean section.

A particularly large influence, but is expected to play also the weight of women before pregnancy: one out of Every four Japanese woman of childbearing age is underweight, and has often, in the pregnancy, problems of sufficient weight.

Taken together, these factors result in a dangerous mix: The health and behavior of the mother determine the health of the developing child, and whether it with all the nutrients is supplies it needs. Children who come with a very low birth weight, develop in later life, for example, tend to metabolism disorders. What needs to change?

Naomi Hayami-Chisuwa pleads for more awareness among medical professionals, the focus, in your opinion, to Prevent a sharp increase in weight: “Doctors should not only pay attention to the weight gain, but also on women who are already pre-pregnancy underweight.”

Source: CNN / the professional Association of women doctors