The dangers of anorexia are known throughout the population - and yet, we still have record amounts of young girls and women suffering from the disorder. Lately, there have been high instances of women suffering from anorexia while going through pregnancy which caused the condition to be dubbed, "preggorexia".

The demographics are key. Women are becoming pregnant at a time in their life when most are susceptible to develop anorexia. Let's face it - most pregnant women do not feel as beautiful as they should, in theory. There are seven million women in the United States that suffer from eating disorders each year! An increasing number of these women are becoming pregnant, or are first time mothers.

Anorexia is a dangerous condition that stems from the mind and causes the mother to think that she is overweight. To offset the weight gain from pregnancy the expectant mother will refrain from eating, avoiding food altogether or restrict calories and exercise compulsively.

Anorexia can lead to bone loss, organ damage and failure, hair loss, abnormal skin patterns and malnutrition. The dangers of the disease need to be addressed to all at-risk pregnant women.
Women trying to become pregnant while suffering from anorexia may have a difficult time as the low body mass index affects the lining of the uterus, making implantation difficult and anorexia also affects the menstrual cycle. Anorexia attacks the body - and therefore, the expectant mother needs to allow as much nourishment as possible to the fetus.

Anorexia can lead to many dangers within the body and becomes increasingly dangerous when the mother is pregnant - these nine months are crucial in the development of a healthy baby. Succumbing to anorexia during pregnancy can harm the fetus in a number of ways and can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, and low birth weights. Women suffering from anorexia through pregnancy are also at risk for depression, post-partum depression and the development of diabetes.

The sole source of nutrients comes from the mother throughout the course of the pregnancy - nutrients that are introduced after the mother ingests the food. When there is a lack of food being ingested through the mother, the fetus suffers from malnutrition. Although many expectant mothers are aware of this - they feel that they can sufficiently carry a pregnancy with the intake of merely five hundred calories per day.

How do we cope with anorexia through pregnancy? Can we deter the mother from the disease - regardless of pregnancy? Anorexia is a difficult condition to treat, and the complications become higher risk when the mother is with child. Many times, the pregnancy is in danger, and once this is explained to the mother than a plan can be determined to allow the child to be born healthy. A team of the family physician, obstetrician and nutritionist as well as psychological intervention should all be in place to treat the growing trend of preggorexia - with a team and a plan in place the mother can feel in control, and hopefully decrease the risks that come with anorexia in pregnancy!



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