Research: Obese women are more likely to give birth early

Maternal obesity is a growing problem in Britain as the proportion of overweight adults in the general population increases. NHS labour wards have had to buy bigger beds, widen doors and are carrying out more caesarean sections on women who are overweight because of the extent of the problem.

Overweight or obese women were more likely to to give birth before 32 weeks or 33 weeks and the heavier the woman was the more likely she was to deliver early with the very obese 82 per cent more likely to give birth very prematurely.

The study published online in the British Medical Journal also found doctors were more likely to induce birth early when a woman was overweight or obese. The research was conducted by Sarah McDonald, Associate Professor at McMaster University, in Ontario, Canada.

Overall the increased risk of induced birth before 37 weeks gestation was 30% compared with normal weight women. Very obese women were 70% more likely to be induced before 37 weeks. Obese women are more likely to suffer pregnancy complications such as diabetes and high blood pressure which may require early birth.


/Telegraph.co.uk/