Pregorexia: Dangerous Eating Disorder for Pregnant Women and Baby

Healed belly and slender body is the dream propagated by many young people on social networks. This stereotype and the unrestrained search for the pattern is the main reason that leads many women to acquire serious eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia and now, pregorexia, who are pregnant women who are excessively afraid of gaining weight.

The disorder called pregorexia is a term that in English unites pregnant and anorexia . The word is of popular origin and does not apply to the medical environment. The disease is poorly studied by science, as patients who can develop the disorder are rare.

Pregorexia can mainly affect patients who already have some type of eating disorder. Genetic factors, family issues and psychological conditions are also assessed during the diagnosis. The complication severely affects the baby’s health, increases the risk of miscarriage , premature birth and underweight children.

Healed Abdomens in Pregnancy and Possible Risks

Due to the fitness fashion that has been packing social networks, famous bloggers and opinion leaders show their healed bodies and show that it is possible to get pregnant and still not lose abdominal muscles .

Although this type of conduct receives a lot of disapproval from the public, unfortunately it can be seen as an example of behavior and something positive, especially among adolescents and younger women.

Those with the disorder have a habit of restrictive diets and strenuous physical exercise, even after pregnancy. However, during pregnancy any type of excess or restriction can be highly harmful to the baby .

Physical activity in moderation and professional monitoring is good for the pregnant woman’s health, helps in labor and provides several benefits. However, excessive exercise during pregnancy can overload the lower back and joints.

It is important to highlight that during pregnancy the woman has the most fragile joints, and intense exercises can cause injuries.

First Signs of Pregorexia

  • Obsession with physical form;
  • Avoid any type of fat, for fear of getting fat;
  • He does not accept that it is common to gain weight during pregnancy and avoids it as much as possible;
  • You think you’re fat when your body shows you the opposite.
  • She usually eats alone (for fear that someone will attract attention) or skips meals;
  • There are cases of use of laxatives and induction of vomiting.

How to help?

Family members and friends can also watch the signs of the disease in the pregnant woman and help her seek help from a specialist psychotherapist or nutritionist. Treatment in cases of pregorexia helps pregnant women to accept the body, understand the transformations and why they are necessary, in addition to helping to see change as part of a new phase.

IMPORTANT: to avoid excessive weight gain during pregnancy, experts recommend a healthy and balanced diet every three hours.

The ideal is to eat small portions during this period and avoid the consumption of fats and sugars , but never acquire a restrictive diet.

Many mothers are mistaken when they think they need to put on weight only the baby’s weight, disregarding that the pregnancy causes other changes that also change the weight on the scale, such as: increased blood flow, placenta, amniotic fluid, breast enlargement and greater accumulation of fat that is common at the stage.

What is the Ideal Weight in Pregnancy?

Generally, the recommendation is made according to the woman’s Body Mass Index (BMI) before pregnancy. Women who are with the right weight can put on 11 to 16 kg. Pregnant women who were already overweight or obese before pregnancy are also natural to gain weight, and can gain weight from 5 to 9 kg.

I’m Afraid To Get Fat During Pregnancy, Now What?

A pregnancy can be healthy and return to the previous body in a very calm way. Fear of gaining weight in pregnancy should not interfere with the health of the mother and baby. Therefore, it is essential to carry out the monitoring with the obstetrician and nutritionist, both will guide which is the best way for a healthy pregnancy and with adequate weight.

See Also: How Not to Get Fat in Pregnancy?

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My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.

Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.

Dr. Alexis Hart

My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.

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