Dr. Dimitrios Mastrogiannis, director of the division of
maternal-fetal medicine and an associate professor of
obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Temple
University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, said, "Obesity is
a different ballgame. Different hormones are playing around in
obesity -- fatty tissue produces more female hormones, more
estrogens. Other hormones are transformed into female hormones
in the adipose tissue." The research does not suggest packing on
pounds to get pregnant, or backing off physical activity
completely, he said. "Exercise is a good thing. It's linked to
less cardiovascular disease, less cancers, less diabetes," said
Mastrogiannis, noting that physical activity is also linked to
better pregnancies, easier labors, less pain and fewer induced
births. The bottom line of the study is that normal, non-obese
women who want to become pregnant should stick to moderate
aerobic exercise, Mastrogiannis said. "We recommend our patients
get moderate aerobic exercise, akin to 30