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16/04/2014

Overweight Women More Likely To Lose Their Baby

Women who are overweight when pregnant are more likely to lose their baby, according to new research.

The study, which has been carried out by Imperial College London and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that women with a higher Body Mass Index (BMI) before, or in the early stages of their pregnancy, are at a higher risk of having their baby dying in pregnancy or labour. This includes stillbirth, and shortly after birth.

Researchers added that women who are severely obese have the highest risk, which is three times more than women of a healthy weight.

Lead researcher, Dr Dagfinn Aune, looked at a link between maternal weight and baby and infant deaths. Of the 38 studies used for this review, there were more than 16,274 stillbirths, 11,294 neonatal deaths, 10,147 foetal deaths, 4,983 infant deaths and 4,311 perinatal deaths.

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Medical experts use BMI to assess whether patients are overweight by comparing height to weight. A BMI of 20 to 24.9 is considered healthy, while 25 to 29.9 is overweight and 30+ is obese. A BMI of 40 or more is super-obese.

Looking at the studies, the team behind the study found that even a small increase in maternal BMI carries an increased risk of a baby dying during pregnancy or labour, still birth or dying shortly after being born. For women with a BMI of 40 or more, the risk was between two and three-and-a-half times higher, when compared to women who had a BMI of 20.

The stillbirth rate, however, per 10,000 pregnancies was 20% higher for women considered to be overweight, and 50% higher for women who are obese.

Commenting, Dr Aune said: "Weight management guidelines for women who plan pregnancies should take these findings into consideration to reduce the burden of foetal deaths, stillbirths, and infant deaths."

(JP/MH)

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"Women who are overweight when pregnant are more likely to lose their baby, according to new research."