The Risks for Babies Born to Mothers with Eating Disorders
Eating disorders can cause serious physical health problems for women who suffer from them. Anorexia nervosa can cause malnutrition and, as the body becomes more malnourished, serious heart problems can occur. Bulimia nervosa can also result in malnutrition or problems with obesity.
When a woman is pregnant and has an eating disorder, the health implications can be severe, not only for her but for her baby. Pregnancy and the body changes that come with it can sometimes magnify the body image distortion that contributes to eating disorders and symptoms can become severe.
Babies born to mothers with eating disorders have been reported to have been born with low birth weight and prematurity. Mothers with eating disorders also have a higher rate of miscarriage. In an effort to understand the risks posed to babies born to mothers with eating disorders, a team at King’s College in London examined whether women with a history of eating disorders are at a higher risk for experiencing major adverse perinatal outcomes.
The researchers, led by Nadia Micali, M.D., analyzed outcomes in 171 women with anorexia nervosa, 199 women with bulimia nervosa, and 82 women diagnosed with both anorexia and bulimia nervosa. These cases were compared with outcomes in 1,166 women with other psychiatric disorders and 10,636 women who had no psychiatric disorders diagnosed. The women’s history was evaluated for adjusted birth weight, preterm delivery and miscarriage history.
The results of the analysis revealed that the women who had a history of bulimia nervosa had significantly higher rates of past miscarriages. Women who had a history of anorexia nervosa delivered babies of significantly lower birth weight than the general population, which was explained by lower pre-pregnancy body mass index. The researchers found that there was no difference in preterm delivery rates across the groups.
The study’s findings indicate that women with a history of eating disorders have a significantly higher risk of major adverse outcomes at delivery. Physicians should be aware of the need to screen women during prenatal visits for possible eating disorder histories in order to guard against the higher risk of adverse outcomes.
The risk to the mother of malnutrition and other health problems is complicated by the additional risks posed to the child. Low birth weight can result in cognitive development difficulties that can cause lifelong problems for the child. Helping a mother with a history of eating disorders to maintain healthy eating behavior patterns during pregnancy may prevent these adverse outcomes.
