Women With a History of Eating Disorders More at Risk for "Pregorexia"
Phoenix -- January 19, 2009 -- Remuda Ranch Programs for Eating and Anxiety Disorders (www.remudaranch.com), the nation's leading eating disorder treatment center, reports there's a new pressure to look perfect while pregnant.
"With the media giving so much focus to pregnant celebrities, there's an
increased pressure to look perfect and thin during pregnancy," said Brenda
Woods, MD, director of medical services at Remuda Ranch. "Our society's
'thin' ideal has crossed over to pregnant women. Many women are feeling the
pressure to not gain too much weight during pregnancy and to lose their
pregnancy weight very quickly. Also, it's important to note that adolescents
with eating disorder histories are in their reproductive years."
Remuda Ranch reports some of the warning signs that a woman is suffering
from an eating disorder while pregnant include:
Failure to gain weight while pregnant
Poor fetal growth
Exercise beyond what is healthy while pregnant
If a woman is suffering from an eating disorder while pregnant, she faces
many medical complications including: low birth weight in the infant;
possible neurological damage to the baby; increased caesarean section rate;
and increased miscarriage early in pregnancy.
"A woman with a history of an eating disorder may be more vulnerable during
pregnancy," adds Dr. Woods. "The emotional stressors of facing parenthood
may push a woman with a history of an eating disorder back into those
behaviors."
Normal weight gain is 25 to 40 pounds during pregnancy for a woman who is
already at a healthy weight. The numbers range from 35 to 50 pounds for an
underweight woman. These numbers can cause extreme anxiety for women with eating disorders.
"Women need to be educated about what's normal when pregnant," said Dr.
Woods. "Doctors need to screen pregnant women for eating disorder beliefs
and practices. Pregnancy is a great time to make changes that will not only
help you, but also guarantee a better future for your child."
About Remuda Ranch Programs for Eating and Anxiety Disorders
Remuda Ranch offers Christian inpatient and residential programs for
individuals of all faiths suffering from eating or anxiety disorders. Each
patient is treated by a multi-disciplinary team including a Psychiatric and
a Primary Care Provider, Registered Dietitian, Masters Level therapist,
Psychologist and Registered Nurse. The professional staff equips each
patient with the right tools to live a healthy, productive life. For more
information, call 1-800-445-1900 or visit www.remudaranch.com.
Announcing the launch of EatingDisorderJobs.com, the most comprehensive online employment board for those who specialize in the treatment of eating disorders. 
