The Latest News About Miscarriage

Obesity

Several years ago, a group of birth-defects specialists declared obesity a pregnancy risk factor, partly because obese women (those with a BMI over 30, which, for a 5'4" woman is 174 pounds or more) are more likely to miscarry. Experts aren't sure why there's a link, but they note that many obese women are also insulin resistant. "Women should be cautious about dieting during pregnancy, but they can certainly lose weight before conception and eat in a healthy way once they conceive," says Edward E. Wallach, MD, professor of reproductive endocrinology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in Baltimore.