How Does an Eating Disorder Affect Pregnancy?

An eating disorder can affect pregnancy in profound ways, since a pregnancy relies heavily on a woman’s body and its ability to function. How is the process affected? Some conclusions are easy to make. If a woman with an eating disorder has an erratic menstrual cycle, she will likely have a hard time getting pregnant. Also, in an effort to limit food intake, a pregnant woman with anorexia will deprive her baby of nutrition as well.

Other issues are less cut and dried. Here is a sample of available research and opinion.

An Eating Disorder During Pregnancy Can Harm the Baby

Research seems to indicate that eating disorders are associated with low birth weight and premature birth, which are correlated with many serious problems. Examples include low IQ, cerebral palsy and failure to thrive in the baby's first year.

Other potential problems include stillbirth and greater chance of Cesarean birth.

Possibility of Harm to the Pregnant Mother With an Eating Disorder

While an eating disorder stresses a growing baby, a pregnancy stresses a mother with an eating disorder. Pregnancy complicates physical issues that may already be present for her. Examples include liver, kidney, and heart problems. Mothers who are not receiving calcium may lose the calcium in their bones as the baby gathers it for its own development.

Eating Disorders and Postpartum Depression

Is It Possible to Become a Healthy Parent and Have a Healthy Baby?

It is. There are no guarantees, particularly if your eating disorder is active, but it’s possible.

While information on the dangers of eating disorders in pregnancy is easy to find, results from clinical studies are somewhat mixed. One study of 1,000 women found no correlation between a history of anorexia nervosa and negative birth outcomes, though it did not appear to focus on women with active eating disorder symptoms (Ekeus et al., 2006).

A study that provides such a clean, positive result is the exception, not the rule. Other current research indicates that a history of eating disorders is, in fact, associated with low birth weight (Kouba et al., 2005). Another study suggests that active bulimia increases the risk for premature birth, postpartum depression, and miscarriage (Morgan et al., 2006).

The greatest wisdom lies in getting treatment for your eating disorder before becoming pregnant. There will be risk to a pregnancy even after successful treatment, but it will be reduced. This step is responsible and doable. It is the kindest thing you can do for a future child (and for you).

Careful prenatal care from a qualified medical practitioner is extremely important. And you must absolutely inform your doctor, obstetrician, or midwife of the eating disorder, whether it occurred in the past or is active now.

Join a support group. Involve your friends. Begin (or remain in) counseling. There is strength in numbers where eating disorders are concerned. Pregnancy makes these movements away from isolation even more worthwhile.