Nearly One in Four Washington State Women Ages 18-44 Are Obese; Weight Management...

Nearly One in Four Washington State Women Ages 18-44 Are Obese; Weight
Management Has Role in Reducing Birth Defect Risk - March of Dimes Reaches Out
to Moms-to-be

January is Birth Defects Prevention Month

SEATTLE, Jan. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In Washington state in 2007, 23.9
percent of women ages 18-44 were obese, according to the March of Dimes
Perinatal Data Center. Women who are overweight or obese have higher odds of
having complications during pregnancy including hypertension (high blood
pressure), preeclampsia and eclampsia or gestational diabetes. Each of these
conditions may require medication and treatment and put the health of not only
mothers, but their babies at risk.

The increased risks to babies include being obese in childhood, being born
prematurely or having certain birth defects, including neural tube defects
such as spina bifida.

March of Dimes understands that managing weight is never easy and the many
changes that come along with pregnancy can make it even tougher. That's why
March of Dimes makes nutrition tips and exercise information convenient for
moms-to-be to get and use.

The best way to reduce risks is to achieve a healthy weight before becoming
pregnant. During pregnancy, women who are in a normal weight range need only
300 additional calories daily to support a baby's growth. Women who are obese
may need less and women who are underweight or adolescents will need more.
Those calories can be supplied by a simple snack such as one of these:
-- A couple of whole wheat crackers with peanut butter, a small glass of
low fat milk and a small apple.
-- Small yogurt with a handful of granola and a small orange.
-- One cheese stick, a handful of walnuts, a few strawberries and a stick
of celery with peanut butter.

March of Dimes information is available online at www.marchofdimes.com and in
Spanish at www.nacersano.org. In addition to brochures available at health
care provider offices and tried-and-true fact sheets, our blog, News Moms
Need, includes timely nutrition topics, such as caffeine and mercury.
Moms-to-be can also get direct delivery via pod casts, Twitter messages ,
free email subscriptions, as well as answers to individual questions via
email.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and
baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies
the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth
defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and
information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org.

CONTACT: Alan Gulick,
206-624-1373, ext. 18;
email: agulick@marchofdimes.com

SOURCE March of Dimes - Washington State Chapter

Alan Gulick of March of Dimes - Washington State Chapter, +1-206-624-1373,
ext. 18, agulick@marchofdimes.com