New IJGO Supplement: FIGO initiative on impact of pregnancy on long-term health
The International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics (IJGO) has published a new open access supplement on the FIGO initiative on the impact of pregnancy on long-term health. The supplement was written with the leadership of the FIGO Committee on the Impact of Pregnancy on Long-term Health and published in January 2023.
The supplement includes, among others, FIGO best practice advice on issues such as hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, management of obesity across the life course and prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus through interventions during pregnancy. The supplement also provides a review and evaluation of the FIGO Nutrition Checklist, as well as a literature review on the links between obesity and infertility.
Improving women’s health across the life course: the relevance of pregnancy and the postpartum period
As highlighted by Prof Fionnuala McAuliffe, Chair of FIGO’s Committee on the Impact of Pregnancy on Long-Term Health,
Pregnancy presents a unique opportunity in a woman's life course to consider her health over the long term.
It is known that many pregnancy complications are risk factors for long-term maternal chronic disease, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Malnutrition and obesity underlie many of these pregnancy complications and long-term chronic disease. These are important issues to be addressed before, during, and after pregnancy, and across the life course.
In addition, this supplement addresses post-pregnancy care as an opportunity to improve maternal long-term health. Post-pregnancy interventions include breastfeeding as a protective and life-saving intervention beneficial to the health of mother and baby, as well as the postpartum visit as a window of opportunity to review a woman’s recent pregnancy and plan for care going forward.
Supplement overview
The articles in the IJGO supplement on the FIGO initiative on impact of pregnancy on long-term health are as follows:
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and long-term cardiovascular health: FIGO Best Practice Advice
Management of obesity across women's life course: FIGO Best Practice Advice
The challenges of obesity for fertility: A FIGO literature review
Pregnancy as an opportunity to prevent type 2 diabetes mellitus: FIGO Best Practice Advice