Sheer and utter nonsense, re: obese babies

sistrkate · May 2011

I swear. I wanted to punch someone after I read this article. A doctor advocates giving pregnant mothers a diabetic drug to control a fetus' weight.

https://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43114076/ns/health-diabetes/t/obese-fetus-let-mom-pop-pill-doc-says/

Meg41208 · May 2011

WTF. I thought (in cases where no physiological problem like GD exist) that you really can't determine baby's birth weight. Why would you even want to try?

(I know this is the opposite situation) I'm average size, and gained a normal amount of weight while pregnant, but I had what I would consider a small baby (under 6 lbs). I was honestly shocked that she was so small, I was predicting (based on my frame and my own birth weight) that she'd be at least a pound heavier.

sistrkate · May 2011

Meg41208:
WTF. I thought (in cases where no physiological problem like GD exist) that you really can't determine baby's birth weight. Why would you even want to try?
I'm average size, and gained a normal amount of weight while pregnant, but I had what I would consider a small baby (under 6 lbs). I was honestly shocked that she was so small, I was predicting (based on my frame and my own birth weight) that she'd be at least a pound heavier.

Likewise, my first baby weighed a very average 7 lb 13 oz, and I was pretty overweight while pregnant.

I weighed at least 25 pounds less the second time around when I got pregnant, and gained very little weight, yet he was born a week early at over 10 pounds.

It just seems like we need to leave some things to nature to figure out. I wouldn't want to be taking any types of drugs not specifically needed during pregnancy.

Mrs.Cooley2bee · May 2011

I didn't think fetal/newborn weight, taken by itself, showed any relation to obesity in childhood or later in life...am I wrong? How will making a baby smaller at birth combat poor feeding choices the mother may make down the road. Something doesn't add up.

Moesten · May 2011

Absurd. How in the world do they hope to determine fetus weight? Current technology has far too much error (2lbs in either direction with ultrasound). And what would be considered an acceptable/safe weight? And how would that be determined?

Interestingly, some Scandinavian countries have the lowest infant mortality rates in the industrialized world yet they have the highest average birth weight (over 8 lbs). The US has one of the lowest average birth weights (just over 6 lbs) but one of the highest infant mortality rates (both of which are highly correlated with our high incidence of premature birth rates). But the point is that birth weight around 8 lbs is positively correlated with infant survival.

ETA: Rather than trying to manipulate healthy fetuses, why don't we concentrate our efforts on ensuring healthy gestating women? Seems that mom needs to be healthy to carry a healthy pregnancy and certainly she needs to be in the physical condition to care for baby afterwards. The focus should be on educating and making healthy moms, not controlling the weight of fetuses.

Meg41208 · May 2011

Moesten:
ETA: Rather than trying to manipulate healthy fetuses, why don't we concentrate our efforts on ensuring healthy gestating women? Seems that mom needs to be healthy to carry a healthy pregnancy and certainly she needs to be in the physical condition to care for baby afterwards. The focus should be on educating and making healthy moms, not controlling the weight of fetuses.

Exactly.

hav2run · May 2011

Yeah, that would have worked out so well for my DD, who always measured ahead of dates, and estimated to be 9 lb+, right up to her due date. She was born 6lb 10oz. Silliness. Those measurement ultrasounds are usually off some, one direction or the other, so giving a drug based on that is nonsense.

katpres06 · May 2011

I'll be sure to let my dad know. He'll be beyond excited! But seriously, that's redunkulous. By far the dumbest thing I've heard today.

sistrkate · May 2011

katpres06:
I'll be sure to let my dad know. He'll be beyond excited! But seriously, that's redunkulous. By far the dumbest thing I've heard today.

I'll be honest, you (and your dad) were the first person to pop into my head when I saw the headline. But still, the idea is dumb as hell. Leave it to a man.....

katpres06 · May 2011

sistrkate:

katpres06:
I'll be sure to let my dad know. He'll be beyond excited! But seriously, that's redunkulous. By far the dumbest thing I've heard today.

I'll be honest, you (and your dad) were the first person to pop into my head when I saw the headline. But still, the idea is dumb as hell. Leave it to a man.....

He'll be stopping by tonight. So I'll casually bring it up and see what he says Wink

MsEmilyAnn · May 2011

That's seriously messed up! ::shakes head::

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