Pregnancy eating disorders are much more common than most people think. With the desire to be thin perpetuated daily by TV execs, many women feel they must be thin at all costs, even while pregnant. Let's take a closer look at the various types of pregnancy eating disorders.
Whether it is anorexia or bulimia, an eating disorder during pregnancy can be disastrous for your baby. Not only is there an increased likelihood of fetal problems during pregnancy, it can also prove fatal for both mother and baby.
Anorexia
People with anorexia have a great fear of becoming fat. They will literally starve themselves to look thin. They have a distorted view that life will be so good if they can just be thin. This can create serious health issues during any pregnancy as you will see in a moment.
Bulimia
On the flipside, people with bulimia will eat consistently, even to the point of pain from overeating. They will binge eat as well as eat several meals a day. To offset the overeating, they will either force themselves to vomit or take laxatives on a daily basis in most cases.
The health issues from this type of eating disorder are immune. From bowel problems to cardiovascular issues, bulimia is a serious disorder.
Pregnancy Eating Disorder Results
In many cases, women with eating disorders will find it quite difficult to conceive a child because of menstrual cycle disruption.
In cases where they do conceive, the eating disorder can affect them in many ways, including:
-Increased likelihood of miscarriage or premature delivery
-Birth defects
-Stillbirth
-Abdominal problems
-Serious, if not fatal complications during labor and delivery
Although you can clearly see that pregnancy eating disorders are extremely serious, it is possible to still have a healthy pregnancy with the right treatment. As soon as she learns she is pregnant she must get counseling and treatment for any type of eating disorder. Although pregnancy and eating disorders are a risky tandem, with the right help it is still possible to have a healthy pregnancy and a beautiful baby.
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