Lectured about BMI while pregnant...

[shortstax]

Want to hear about something ridiculous?

In order to qualify for our health insurance plans at work, we have to get a biometric screening each year.  they test blood sugar, cholesterol, etc.  I was "normal" in all of those tests. However, the nurse explained that although I'm 21 weeks pregnant my weight puts me juuuuuust outside of normal on the BMI range and so she has to refer me to "personal health coaching."

Seriously.

PS - I look and feel fabulous. Eff her and that policy man.

[raangoli]

Ummm she's straight stupid.

[eport]

I didn't get the "health coaching" but we get a discount on insurance if we get the biometric screen plus talk to a "health expert" on the phone (usually 2-3 months later).

The guy mentioned that I had gained "quite a bit" of weight over the previous year and there are great programs for weight loss that they offer. I interrupted him and said that if he looked at his notes, I was 8 month pregnant when my doctor took the readings and that I had gained within the recommended amount of weight per my doctor. And that now, my baby is 2 weeks old so no, I won't exercise until I get the ok from my doctor and yes, the weight is coming off.

Thankfully, he was embarrassed and ended the call quickly after that.

[Deleted]

What?? That's crazy.

[dr.girlfriend]

Ugh, I had to take my "online health assessment" when I was 8 months pregnant. It had one question about "are you currently pregnant?" and then asked how far along you were, but obviously didn't take it into account in any of the calculations.

[compassrose]

I hate stupid bureaucratic policies. This in nonsense. Total BS. I'm so sorry.

[Deleted]

Wow! What an enormous waste of their resources and your time.

My OB's office sends out an email of your appointment record after every appointment. This will list you blood pressure, weight, BMI, and other information. The email is also kind enough to mention "Your BMI is in the overweight range" regardless of being pregnant or not. So yes, I was most certainly "overweight" at 40 weeks pregnant (and 10 weeks pregnant, but that is neither here nor there) and it really doesn't make me feel better for them to point it out.

[sunshineluv]

We had to do that, when I was 30+ weeks pregnant. Luckily the person I spoke with knew enough to say that the metrics weren't accurate for me at that time. And didn't push me on a coach.

Eff that.

[dottyblue]

I had my screening about 4 weeks after DS was born. I still had 25-30 lbs of baby weight on me. They didn't say a word but I made sure she had noted that I had JUST had a baby. She laughed and confirmed it wouldn't be an issue and was well documented. Thank goodness for sane people.

[egishere]

I had to do one like two weeks after having my triplets...luckily they were nice about it. Last week I did one and the screener was so hot-I did not want to weigh in.

[mainelyfoolish]

That's nuts. I do an online assessment every year for my health insurance but there was a box to check at the beginning of the survey if you're pregnant; if you are pregnant they don't ask your weight or calculate your BMI.

[tealblue]

Ours allows you to take the tests within 6 months of giving birth if you are pregnant when testing goes on. I'm sorry and I hope the personal health coach laugh when they read you are pregnant!

[sometimesrunner]

Duh? lol There has got to be a way around this, right?

[moolarkey]

We have the same thing here. yech.

[orangeblossom]

This is so ridiculous. Like pp said, there has to be a way around it. Aside from the fact that BMI is stupid, pregnancy, should definitely be taken into account.

I'd have to look at the chart, but I think even someone in the normal BMI gaining the recommended number of pounds during pregnancy would plug them into overweight. Who is getting pregnant that isn't going to push them into overweight.

What a waste.

[shortstax]

Sept 23, 2014 12:32:39 GMT -5 orangeblossom said:

I'd have to look at the chart, but I think even someone in the normal BMI gaining the recommended number of pounds during pregnancy would plug them into overweight. 

Yep, I plan to bring that tidbit up with my "personal health coach."  I'm short (5'2) and have only gained 10 pounds, but at 137 that now puts me as overweight.  Eff that.

[imojoebunny]

I just did that screening for our insurance. I have gained 15 pounds over last year (after 15 years or so of being the same, healthy weight) but also quit smoking (huge for me), and started walking 12 to 15 miles a week, so in reality I have 0 doubt I am healthier, even if on paper, I am not.

Your situation is just funny. It's a case where you would like for people to use some common sense, which is of course, banned in many a corporation.

[ladyk]

My co-worker got dinked on a bio health screen at work because she hasn't had a mammogram in the past 6 years and she is right at 50. Um, she's a 5 year breast cancer survivor who had a double mastectomy and has implants now. The screener person was thrown off because there wasn't a box to check for that.

Sigh...

[genet313]

Sept 23, 2014 12:18:08 GMT -5 egishere said:

I had to do one like two weeks after having my triplets...luckily they were nice about it. Last week I did one and the screener was so hot-I did not want to weigh in.

well, if he were the one keeping track of me on a regular basis, that would probably be motivation enough for me to get in shape.  

too bad your screen is just flat out not smart OP.  what a joke.

[Norticprincess]

Ours has a box to check if patient is pregnant to exempt from the BMI metric. Hopefully your health coach realizes that it shouldn't apply.


I failed several of the metrics. The health coach I got gave up and closed things after the first conversation. Due to other medical issues that were the cause of the failures she said I didn't need to follow up with her as long as I was following up with my specialist. Hope they let you deal with your OB.

[lpcats]

Those people seem dumber than most. My H has high cholesterol and asked at the screening what he could do to reduce it. The woman could not come up with one single suggestion.

[womet]

Sept 23, 2014 12:38:28 GMT -5 @choco said:

Oh she would have heard an earful from my overweight before getting pg ass.

Yup, I'm pretty sure the words "fuck off" would have come out of my mouth.

[belovedbride07]

Wow! That is effed up. At my employer we aren't even allowed to do the biometric screening while pregnant!

[carolinagirl831]

ugh that same thing happened to me my last pregnancy! We had to do screenings at a lab that is just for this. They lectured me too, and I was not even over weight to begin with. I had gained maybe 12 pounds at the time of the screening , 24 weeks pregnant and it did put me on edge/over my BMI. I was kept saying, BUT i'm pregnant!!
IDIOTS

[msmerymac]

Sept 23, 2014 12:38:28 GMT -5 @choco said:

Oh she would have heard an earful from my overweight before getting pg ass.

I wouldn't blame her, specifically. Unless she was being stupid about it. It's possible her system is set up so the ONLY option she has is the health coach referral. That's a bureaucracy problem.

[Deleted]

There's no pregnancy exemption? I have to do the same thing for our insurance through H , it's a giant PITA, but I'm almost positive there was a pregnancy exemption. I'm sorry you have to endure wellness coaching, I had to do that one year and it was a giant waste of my time.

[msmerymac]

Sept 23, 2014 14:20:44 GMT -5 @choco said:

Sept 23, 2014 14:17:47 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

I wouldn't blame her, specifically. Unless she was being stupid about it. It's possible her system is set up so the ONLY option she has is the health coach referral. That's a bureaucracy problem.

Which would have been fine had she actually phrased it that way instead of "yes you are pregnant but you still need x." A little bedside manner would have gone a long way with that statement, don't you think? Something along the lines of "I apologize for even having to address this, but our policy is pretty clear that despite the fact that you are pregnant, I will need to refer to you the personal health coach."

Absolutely. "Well, I know this sounds silly, but I'm required to type in that I have to refer you to a health coach because of the system. Just tell her you're pregnant - it will take 5 seconds. I'm sorry it's a waste of time."

That's why I want to know if she was actually being an idiot - like if all she said was, "sorry, but your BMI is high, I have to refer you to a health coach." "I'm pregnant." "I know, but your BMI is high, so I have to refer you to a health coach." *headdesk*

[shortstax]

Sept 23, 2014 14:53:19 GMT -5 Catlawdy said:

Do you have to go in person or talk to them on the phone? Either way, stupid, but I'd be even more livid if they thought I was going to go chat with someone in person.

Luckily it's all over the phone, but I'll make sure I give feedback to that coach about this whole process.

[mrssandro]

We had the same "biometric screening" screening around this time.

They took everything BUT my weight and I since they said weight does not matter when your PG. At least for the screening. I passed everything else with flying colors and I was told I was a VERY healthy pg person.

So I am going with they are straight up stupid and I would complain.

[cherry1111]

When I did the survey while pregnant I had to put in my pre pregnancy weight (which was still higher than their limit) but then when I did the health coaching calls I had to lose all my pregnancy weight plus some of my pre pregnancy weight to qualify. I lied to get the discount. Not even sorry.