Eating Disorder In Pregnancy - An Insight

Introduction

Adolescents and young adults are the typical times when the two most prevalent eating disorders, bulimia (it is an eating disorder) and anorexia (it is an eating disorder characterized by severe caloric restriction), first appear. A woman's health and the health of her unborn child may suffer if these conditions persist into her reproductive years. Knowing how eating disorders affect pregnancy is essential.

To manage weight gain, anorexia patients engage in compulsive dieting or starvation. To get rid of extra calories, bulimics either throw up after binge eating or use laxatives. Women may experience worry and anxiety during pregnancy, particularly if they suffer from an eating disorder. Having the partner's and a medical professional's support will be beneficial.

What Are Eating Disorders?

A complicated mental condition is marked by the development of poor eating patterns. These behaviors may result in an obsession with food or body weight, which can lower the intake of nutrients and lead to serious health problems.

The following eating disorders are the most prevalent:

• Anorexia - It is a condition characterized by excessive exercise or insufficient food.

• Bulimia - Overindulging in food, followed by either getting ill or using laxatives. The individual may potentially overindulge in exercise or consume a restricted diet.

• Binge Eating - When someone frequently overeats to the point of feeling excessively full, angry, or guilty, it is known as binge eating.

How Do Eating Disorders Affect Fertility?

Anorexia and other eating disorders decrease the chances of becoming pregnant, which has an impact on fertility. Menstrual cycles are absent in the majority of anorexic women and irregular in about 50 percent of bulimic women. Reduced calorie intake, high exercise, or psychological stress are the main causes of the lack of menstruation. It can be quite difficult for a woman to become pregnant if she is not experiencing regular periods.

How is Pregnancy Affected by Eating Disorders?

Pregnancy-related eating disorders are linked to the following complications:

• Early labor.

• Low birth weight baby.

• Fetal death or stillbirth.

• Higher likelihood of cesarean delivery.

• Sluggish fetal development.

• Respiratory issues.

• Diabetes during pregnancy.

• Problems that arise during childbirth.

• Depression (is a type of mood condition that can interfere with daily activities and generate a continuous sensation of melancholy and disinterest).

• Miscarriage (it is the unexpected termination of a pregnancy before the 20th week of pregnancy).

• Pre-eclampsia (it is a pregnancy-specific multisystem illness characterized by the start of elevated blood pressure).

Individuals who suffer from bulimia frequently put on extra weight, which puts them at risk for high blood pressure. Postpartum depression is more common in eating-disordered women, and difficulties in nursing are more likely to arise. The unborn child may suffer injury from the laxatives, diuretics, and other drugs consumed. Until they can feed and nourish the infant, these chemicals deplete it of nutrition and water. They might also result in fetal malformations, especially if they are used frequently.

What Are the Signs of an Eating Disorder in Pregnancy?

An eating disorder may show any of the following symptoms:

• Consuming minimal food, purposefully becoming ill, or using laxatives after eating.

• Having extremely rigid guidelines or customs about diet.

• Going overboard with exercise.

• Dining alone, keeping food secrets, or overindulging in food binges.

• Underweight or abnormally low BMI in relation to age-appropriate.

• Skipping meals or staying away from items they believe to be fatty.

• Using medicine to lessen appetite.

• Periods halt in women or do not begin in young girls.

• Physical issues include dry skin, hair loss, and dizziness.

Other pregnancy-related diseases may exhibit some signs of an eating problem. Among them are:

• Experiencing nausea and other symptoms of morning sickness, as well as dietary cravings or aversions, during pregnancy.

• During pregnancy, intense nausea and vomiting are known as hyperemesis gravidarum.

• Treatment can help with issues related to eating and pregnancy, such as those mentioned above.

What Are the Recommendations for Women With Eating Disorders?

To ensure the health of their reproductive system and unborn child, women who suffer from eating disorders should seek treatment to overcome them. If they gain a normal amount of weight during pregnancy, most eating-disordered women can deliver healthy kids. For eating-disordered women who are trying to get pregnant, these recommended guidelines may help.

Before Getting Pregnant:

• Attain and preserve a balanced weight.

• Do not purge.

• Make a pre-conception appointment by consulting the healthcare practitioner.

• Discuss a balanced pregnancy diet with a dietitian; this may involve taking prenatal vitamins.

• Seek counseling; group and individual therapy may be beneficial in addressing the eating disorder and any underlying issues.

In the course of Pregnancy

• Make an appointment for a prenatal visit as soon as possible and let the healthcare practitioner know if the woman has been experiencing eating disorder symptoms.

• Aim for a healthy increase in body weight.

• Consume meals that are well-balanced and contain all the necessary nutrients.

• Seek a nutritionist who may guide a suitable and healthy diet.

• Stay away from cleansing.

• Seek both individual and group therapy to address the eating disorder and any underlying difficulties.

Following Pregnancy:

• To enhance mental and physical well-being, keep getting counseling.

• Notify the husband, friends, and health care provider about the eating disorder and the higher risk of postpartum depression; urge them to be there for them when the baby is born.

• Get assistance with early breastfeeding by contacting a lactation consultant.

• Locate a nutritionist who can collaborate with women to maintain their health, control their weight, and make time for the child.

Conclusion

Although it was formerly believed that eating disorders did not develop in pregnant women, a considerable number of them do. Cultural demands to be slim are contributing to an increase in the prevalence of the two main eating disorders, bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. It is not uncommon for a physician to come across a pregnant patient with a serious eating disorder because the age range for these eating disorders overlaps with the age range for reproductive function. Pregnancy-related eating disorders also include pica, ptyalism, and pregnancy sickness. Before or right after getting pregnant, speak with a dietitian who specializes in eating disorders. Collaborate with the dietitian throughout the pregnancy to develop a strategy for a healthy diet and weight gain. Maintaining contact with them after giving birth is frequently beneficial.