Pregnant Women Who Are Overweight Put Their Infants at Risk

A new article published in the journal Nursing for Women's Health finds that obesity in pregnant women is associated with pregnancy complications, birth defects, as well as a greater risk of childhood and adult obesity in infants born to obese mothers.02-02-2010

In recent years, there has been a large increase in the prevalence of overweight and obese women of childbearing age, with approximately 51% of non-pregnant women ages 20 to 39 being classified as overweight or obese. Merrie Rebecca Walters, RN, and Julie Smith Taylor, PhD, RNC, WHNP-BC, reviewed the potential consequences of maternal obesity. Results show that obese women are more likely to have an infant with a neural tube defect, heart defects, or multiple anomalies than women with a normal BMI.

With thanks to Sciencedaily.com To read the full article go to http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100120121558.htm