Researchers of a new study found that babies born to obese mothers are 35 percent more likely to die before the age of 55.
The number of pregnant obese women has increased drastically over the last 25 years. According to an American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists report, more than one third of women are obese and more than one half of pregnant women are overweight or obese.
A Mayo Clinic research stated that being obese or overweight while pregnant also increases the chances of a miscarriage or stillbirth. Other pregnancy complications caused due to obesity include obstructive sleeping, labor problems, overdue pregnancy, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and various kinds of infection.
A new study conducted by researchers from the Universities of Edinburgh and Aberdeen found that being overweight or obese during pregnancy not only affects the expecting mother but also the child. Researchers of the new study found that babies born to obese mothers are 35 percent more likely to die before the age of 55. This percentage decreased to 10 percent for babies born to overweight mothers. Most of these deaths are caused due to heart problems.
Researchers also found that children born to women who were obese when they were pregnant were admitted into hospitals for heart problems like angina, heart attacks and strokes one third times more than children born to women of normal weight. Such children were also at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
For the study, researchers looked at the health records of more than 37,000 babies delivered between 1950 and 1976. During this period 25 percent of the pregnant women were obese or overweight.
"As obesity among pregnant women is rising, along with levels of obesity in the general population, our findings are of major public health concern," Professor Rebecca Reynolds from the University of Edinburgh said in a press statement. "This study highlights the need for more research to better understand and prevent the impact of obesity during pregnancy for offspring in later life and the biological processes at work."
Induced and augmented labor is very common among women who are obese while pregnant. This too can have an adverse effect on the newborn child. A recent study conducted by researchers from Duke University found that pregnant women whose labors are induced have a higher chance of giving birth to babies with autism, especially if the baby is a boy.
Previous studies have also established that obese mothers are more likely to give birth prematurely to babies that are 17 percent smaller than the ones born to mothers of normal weight.
Dr Sohinee Bhattacharya of the University of Aberdeen noted that the findings of the study emphasis the need for weight management for both mother and child,so that chronic disease risks are not passed down from generation to generation. The study also proves that obesity during pregnancy can have a long term impact on children, affecting their adult weight, health and even their life expectancy.
