Pregorexia: What Is It And What Are Its Risks?

Pregorexia is an eating disorder that arises during pregnancy. This term comes from pregnancy, which in English means “pregnancy”, and from anorexia. Although its incidence is increasing, there are still not enough studies and descriptions about it.

According to data from the National Institute of Statistics in Spain, nearly 294 out of every 1,000 women of childbearing age have a body mass index that is less than adequate. This seems to indicate a risk of pregorexia during pregnancy, due to the constant concern with weight and body image.

What is pregorexia?

Pregorexia, as we pointed out, is included in eating disorders. It arises during pregnancy and is based on the fear of gaining weight at this stage. These women want to maintain or reduce their weight during pregnancy, so they carry out a series of practices to achieve this goal.

For example, these pregnant women often engage in extreme physical exercise, reduce food intake or even induce vomiting. They tend to obsessively monitor the calories they eat or skip meals.

Most commonly, these behaviors begin to manifest themselves more intensely from the second trimester onwards. This is, in part, because many women lose weight during the first trimester due to nausea and vomiting.

During pregnancy, it is normal for the mother to gain weight. In fact, it is estimated that the ideal is to gain up to 12 kilos. This depends on the woman’s body mass index before pregnancy. The problem is that this weight gain is compromised due to the behaviors that pregorexia causes, putting the baby at risk.

What is the origin of this disorder?

According to the book Health and Developmental Care , pregorexia usually occurs in women with a history of anorexia. However, it is true that it is also more common in those who have already suffered from another type of eating disorder, such as bulimia.

This pathology can also appear without any antecedents. A study from the University of Jaén confirmed that there are other factors that are often associated with pregorexia. Some of them are as follows:

• The patient has low self-esteem or insecurity issues: in fact, anxiety and depression are also related to pregorexia.
• Unwanted pregnancy or doubts about motherhood.
• Bad relationship with the partner or not counting on their support.

However, the clearest point of origin is in social standards of beauty. Social networks, magazines, advertisements incite a misunderstanding about the perfect physique. Many people believe that beauty lies in a slim body.

This makes it increasingly common to find people obsessed with weight and thinness, to the point that many women seek to achieve this aesthetic standard even if they are pregnant.

Risks of pregorexia

The baby’s development depends on the health and nutritional status of the mother. When diet and weight are insufficient, not only the woman’s life is at risk, but very negative consequences for the fetus can also occur.

Pregorexia causes anemia, is related to endometriosis and respiratory infections in women. Likewise, the risk of postpartum depression increases if the pregnancy is carried to term.

In pregnancy itself, this disorder can lead to miscarriage and an increased risk of premature rupture of the membranes. It will be harmful to the baby, as there is a greater chance of suffering from hypoglycemia, infections and even death.

According to a study published in 2014, some mothers with pregorexia had to give up breastfeeding. That’s because they didn’t have enough milk due to the nutritional deficit.

How is it possible to solve this problem?

To solve this disorder, the main thing is to detect it as soon as possible. In any pregnancy, strict control of the mother must be maintained, but even more so if any risk factors are identified.

One of the main points is to control weight during pregnancy. Also, the woman should be informed that it is normal to gain weight at this stage. It is necessary to help her calculate the most appropriate value and prevent the fear of gaining weight from taking hold.

When symptoms of pregorexia are detected, individualized psychological therapy should be initiated. The obstetrician will also ensure that the baby is not at risk. However, there is no type of medication indicated. In some extreme cases, food supplements are administered.

Psychological support is needed

Pregorexia is an eating disorder that arises during pregnancy. The mother has an intense fear of gaining weight, so she adopts behaviors that put the baby’s development at risk. It is important to treat her as quickly as possible and offer individualized psychological therapies to these women.