OBESITY often starts with pregnancy. The physiological stimulus of pregnancy may produce an in-ordinate appetite with a craving for sweets. The inactivity of the latter months of pregnancy add to the obesity hazard. The ovarian inactivity of pregnancy also predisposes to fat accumulation much as the surgical removal of the ovaries favors weight increase.
It must be remembered that overeating in pregnancy may lead to an overweight fetus. This naturally jeopardizes the life of the baby during birth. And the resulting birth difficulties, by pro-longing the mother’s convalescence and inactivity, lead to further fat deposition.