Abstract:
Obesity is a chronic, progressive, relapsing, and treatable multifactorial, neurobehavioral
disease. According to the World Health Organization, obesity affects 15% of women
and has long-term
effects on women's health. The focus of care in patients with obesity
should be on optimizing health outcomes rather than on weight loss. Appropriate
and common language, considering cultural sensitivity and trauma-informed
care, is
needed to discuss obesity. Pregnancy is a time of significant physiological change. Pre-,
ante-,
and postpartum clinical encounters provide opportunities for health optimization
for parents with obesity in terms of, but not limited to, fertility and breastfeeding.
Pre-existing
conditions may also be identified and managed. Beyond pregnancy, women
with obesity are at an increased risk for gastrointestinal and liver diseases, impaired
kidney function, obstructive sleep apnea, and venous thromboembolism. Gynecological
and reproductive health of women living with obesity cannot be dismissed, with accommodations
needed for preventive health screenings and consideration of increased
risk for gynecologic malignancies. Mental wellness, specifically depression, should be
screened and managed appropriately. Obesity is a complex condition and is increasing
in prevalence with failure of public health interventions to achieve significant decrease.
Future research efforts should focus on interprofessional care and discovering effective
interventions for health optimization.
