health and remedies
Mother’s health issues can pose risk to children: Study reveals
The researchers discovered that, on average, kids born to moms with PCOS weighed less, were shorter, and had a smaller head circumference.
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome, also known as PCOS and obesity are more likely to have smaller babies in terms of birth weight, length, and head circumference, according to a recent study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
PCOS is a hormonal illness that affects one out of every eight women. Male sex hormone levels are often increased, menstrual periods are inconsistent or rare, and tiny cysts grow on the ovaries.
In the study, 390 children born to women with PCOS were compared with about 70,000 children from the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study (MoBa).
PCOS and pregnancy:
The researchers discovered that, on average, kids born to moms with PCOS weighed less, were shorter, and had a smaller head circumference. This was especially true for obese moms, who had a BMI of 30 or above.
“In women of normal weight who have PCOS, we only find that their children have a lower birth weight compared to women who do not have PCOS. It is the group of children born to mothers with obesity that stands out the most. These babies have lower weight, shorter stature and a smaller head circumference. Obesity places an additional burden on mothers who have PCOS and their children,” said Professor Eszter Vanky at NTNU’s Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine.
PCOS is a disease that follows women throughout their lives and can trigger various metabolic diseases and challenges such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. Women with PCOS are generally more likely to develop overweight and obesity.
“What is unusual is that women who are generally overweight and gain a lot of weight during pregnancy usually have an increased risk of giving birth to large babies. This also applies to women who develop gestational diabetes. On average, women with PCOS have higher BMIs, gain more weight during pregnancy, and 25 per cent of them develop gestational diabetes. However, the outcome is the opposite: these women give birth to babies who are smaller than average. We still don’t know why, but we see that the placenta is affected in these women,” said Vanky.
The newly qualified doctors Maren Talmo and Ingvild Floysand have carried out the study as their master’s thesis, with Eszter Vanky and Melanie Rae Simpson as their supervisors. Talmo explains that even though the placenta in these women is smaller in size, it seems to deliver more nutrients relative to the baby’s body weight compared to a normal placenta. Vanky describes it as a placenta in overdrive.
“The placenta delivers nutrients to the baby through the umbilical cord. In women with PCOS, we see that the placenta is generally smaller in size. At the same time, it must provide everything the baby needs, so it has to work very hard to meet these demands. Sometimes, however, the placenta can’t keep up, which can lead to placental insufficiency and, in rare cases, foetal death.”
The researchers do not know why this is the case.
“There are many hypotheses, but I don’t think anyone has a definitive answer yet. Previously, we thought the cause was linked to the high levels of male sex hormones, but we have not been able to fully connect the two. We also know that women with PCOS have a slightly different immune profile during pregnancy.”
The researchers believe this is important knowledge both for the women affected and for healthcare professionals.
“A newborn baby is not a blank slate. Much of our long-term health is established in the womb. Genes play a role, but also what we are exposed to during the foetal stage and early in life,” said Vanky.
The NTNU researchers now want to learn more about what happens to the children’s health.
“What are the consequences of the mother’s PCOS diagnosis for the child? Is there anything that can be done before or during pregnancy so that expectant mothers with PCOS do not gain too much weight? Can follow up and good glucose regulation be provided so that the child gets the best outcome possible? All this depends on knowing more about the mother’s situation,” said Vanky.
The NTNU researchers have also followed up on some of the children when they reached the age of 7 years.
“We saw that the children born to mothers with PCOS generally had more central obesity, meaning they were larger around the waist,” said Vanky.
Other studies have shown that children born to mothers with PCOS are at higher risk of developing overweight and obesity at a young age. Research has also shown that low birth weight is linked to the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life.
“We see differences in children as early as 7 or 8 years old, where children born to mothers with PCOS have a larger waist circumference and higher BMI. They bear small signs that their mother has PCOS. It may therefore be an advantage to know about this so we can provide guidance on lifestyle and diet,” said Vanky.
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health and remedies
Train smarter, not harder: How taking occasional breaks from gym can revolutionise your fitness routine
Taking regular breaks from intense training, like deload weeks, helps your body recover, preventing fatigue and injury, and ultimately boosts fitness gains.
When it comes to getting fit, the idea of spending hours at the gym might come to mind, but many fitness experts argue that taking a “deload week” every six to eight weeks is actually key to improving your fitness gains. A deload week involves reducing the intensity of workouts to allow the body to recover from the fatigue and muscle damage caused by intense training.
While high-intensity training helps build strength and fitness, it can also lead to muscle strain, and without adequate recovery, these gains can’t fully materialise. Deload weeks give the body much-needed rest to repair and rebuild, ensuring continued progress. (Also read: Bhagyashree swears by this super easy exercise for instant leg pain relief and better mobility. Watch how to do it )
Why recovery is key for muscle growth
According to an article by The Conversation, intense exercise can cause tiny tears in muscle fibres, leading to inflammation that requires rest or low-intensity exercise to heal. This inflammation is essential for muscle growth and fitness improvements. However, without proper recovery, muscles remain in a state of slight damage, preventing inflammation from resolving. This chronic state of inflammation can hinder muscle function, reducing oxygen efficiency and impairing performance. Giving muscles time to recover through rest ensures they repair properly and are primed for continued progress, setting us up for greater success in our fitness journey.
Many gymgoers fear taking time off and are worried it will lead to a loss of gains. However, research shows that muscle genes have a “memory imprint,” which keeps them in a semi-prepared state. This allows muscles to respond more quickly and effectively to future training, promoting growth after a rest period. Even after extended periods of reduced intensity, up to seven weeks, muscular fitness can be restored to prime condition—and in some cases, surpass previous levels. Interestingly, recovery can occur twice as fast as it took to reach peak fitness initially, even if some strength is lost.
Taking time off from intense training is crucial to prevent muscle soreness and avoid overtraining syndrome. Overtraining occurs when the body doesn’t get enough rest, leading to prolonged fatigue, decreased performance, and mood disturbances. Symptoms develop gradually, making overtraining difficult to recognize until it’s severe. Rest is essential to avoid these issues and ensure long-term progress in training.
Role of overtraining syndrome and deload weeks
Overtraining syndrome is challenging to quantify due to its vague symptoms. Studies suggest it may affect as few as 10% of elite athletes, though rates could climb to 60% among highly competitive individuals. Recovery is essential for both fitness and overall health. When engaging in heavy gym routines, it’s vital to incorporate sufficient recovery time into your workout plan. Unlike rest days, which involve little to no exercise once or twice a week, deload weeks feature lighter training at reduced intensity—typically about 50% fewer workouts or a 20% drop in workout intensity.
Both rest days and deload weeks are essential for recovery and crucial to improving fitness. It’s not about choosing one over the other—they complement each other. For instance, intense training for marathons, Ironman, or CrossFit competitions requires weekly rest days alongside scheduled deload weeks. However, for recreational gym-goers exercising 1–3 times weekly at a moderate intensity, the recovery from this routine is often sufficient without the need for additional deload weeks.
Fitness influencers recommend incorporating deload weeks into training schedules every 4–8 weeks, aligning closely with the expert advice of 4–6 weeks. However, it’s crucial to listen to your body and schedule deload weeks as needed. If your performance plateaus or worsens, it may signal time for a deload. Training plans should be flexible enough to allow rest when required. Deload weeks not only enhance performance but also support overall health.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
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