Perhaps you have heard of it. It’s the new “buzz word” surrounding eating disorders. Reports are that it has been inspired by images of thin, yet pregnant, celebrities along with famous figures who lose their baby weight within a matter of a few weeks (Samantha Harris, anyone?).

Pregorexia is actually not new. And it’s not really a medical term, but more of a pop-psychology look at eating disorders. An anorexic woman may still be anorexic, even when pregnant; a woman with bulimia may continue to have symptoms while she is expecting.

Although “pregorexia” is used by the entertainment world to catagorize women who have a “baby bump” yet watch their weight to an extreme degree, there is nothing remotely entertaining about starving oneself, over-exercising or purging while pregnant. As a matter of fact, an eating disorder like this can put both the mother and baby at risk. Hypertension, anxiety, depression, insomnia, vaginal bleeding, chronic pain, hospitalization and intraveneous feeding are partial risks for the expectant mom with an eating disorder, and here is a sobering look at what could result for her child:

Higher rates of miscarriage; infant mortality; premature birth; low birth-weight; low APGAR scores; malformations (including cleft lip and palate); smaller head circumference; respiratory problems; failure to thrive; delayed development; cognitive, sensory, and physical defects; disturbed feeding behaviors; depression.

So although some might say that “thin” is the new “pregnancy fit,” birth defects and women’s health risks say differently. Plan on gaining at least 25-35 pounds when you are pregnant, more if you are underweight when you become pregnant (Newly released weight gain guidelines can be found here).

Thin and pregnant is not the new “normal” for expectant mothers. “Mommy makeovers” (surgery right after pregnancy to restore a women’s pre-baby figure) are not the new “spa day.”

Having a healthy baby far outweighs the importance of being a haute-coture-clad mom-to-be. I’ll take the inspiration of a beautifully healthy baby over “thin-spiration” anyday.