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If you are trying to conceive and you are seriously overweight or underweight, discuss this with your doctor. Extremes of weight are associated with an increased risk of problems in pregnancy.

• Underweight mothers are more at risk of problems, such as having a small-for-dates baby or going into premature labour.

• Overweight mothers are at risk of problems such as chronic high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia – a serious pregnancy condition related to high blood pressure, which can lead to kidney upset and risk to the baby.

In addition, both extremes of weight can be associated with fertility problems. You don’t want to have to contemplate dieting when you are pregnant, so it is important to think about reducing your weight long before trying to get pregnant.

The proportion of people who are overweight in developed countries is increasing. In the UK, around 30 per cent of women are overweight. In the last 10-15 years there has been a doubling in the number of pregnant women who fall into the obese category with their BMI. In the UK today, around 1:5 women who are pregnant are in this obese category and this number is steadily increasing. This is really important as the risk of pregnancy complications is increased in mothers who are obese.