Study Affirms New Moms’ Concerns About Losing Extra Pregnancy Pounds

iStock/Thinkstock(CHICAGO) — The joy of giving birth notwithstanding, many women tend to worry that they won’t be able to shed all those pregnancy pounds after the blessed event.

Well, guess what? Their worries are justified, according to a study by University of Chicago obstetrics and gynecology professor Dr. Loraine Endres.

By studying 770 low-income women before, during and after pregnancy, Endres says that 75 percent of them are heavier than their pre-pregnancy weight a year after having a baby.

What’s more, a third of formerly pregnant women become overweight or even obese while two in ten hang on to more than 20 of those pregnancy pounds.

Endres says she’s very concerned by most women’s inability to lose the weight since so many health issues are linked to being overweight or obese. She attributes the problem to too much weight gain during pregnancy.

For example, pregnant women should ignore the advice that they’re “eating for two” and instead, indulge in just 300-400 extra calories daily.

While it’s a chore to lose the weight gained during pregnancy, Endres recommends breast-feeding and moderate exercise as ways of dropping pounds.

Follow @ABCNewsRadio
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio