Women who are obese during pregnancy are putting their child at risk of birth defects such as spina bifida, heart defects, cleft palate, brain defects and gastrointestinal defects, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
To assess the relationship between maternal overweight and obesity and the risk of congenital anomaly in newborns, Katherine J. Stothard and colleagues from Newcastle University in the U.K. conducted a review and meta-analysis of past studies. The research team identified 39 articles that were included in a systematic review and 18 articles in the meta-analysis.
“In women who were obese at the start of pregnancy, the meta-analysis demonstrated a significantly increased risk of a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect [nearly twice the odds], including spina bifida [more than twice the odds]; cardiovascular anomaly, including a septal anomaly [heart defect]; cleft palate and cleft lip and palate; anorectal atresia [abnormality of the anus/rectum]; hydrocephaly [abnormal enlargement of the ventricles of the brain due to accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid]; and a limb reduction anomaly,” the study notes.
Related:
Obesity Linked To Abnormal Sperm
Obesity’s Double-Whammy Effect On Healthcare System
9 Out Of 10 Americans Obese Or Overweight By 2030
Comments are closed.