A new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, reveals that an obese woman in her first pregnancy has a particularly high risk of delivery of a low birthweight baby, of pre-eclampsia and of premature birth.
Results showed that:
· 18.8% of the babies born to obese nulliparous women were of lower than normal birthweight (10% of the average population would ordinarily be expected to have a low birth weight baby).
· 13.4% of babies delivered by the study population were higher than normal birthweight (this is only 10% in the average population).
· The risk of pre-eclampsia increased as the woman’s BMI increased.
· The pre-term birth rate of 11.9% was almost twice the national average.
· The caesarean section rate of 39% in obese women was the highest ever reported in the world.
· The complications were reflected in a significantly longer inpatient stay with increasing BMI (Body Mass Index), with a mean duration of inpatient stay of 4.6 days, compared to a national average of three days for all women.
Tommy's Professor Lucilla Poston, who led the research, commented: “There are a number of findings which are very surprising. The large proportion of small babies was particularly unexpected as obesity is more often associated with the birth of overweight babies.
”The high number of cases of pre-eclampsia found in this group was very concerning, as this is a serious pregnancy complication which, in extreme cases, can result in maternal and/or foetal death.”
