Monday, March 19, 2012

Risks to the baby, if mother is overweight during Pregnancy

  • If you have a BMI of 30 or above before pregnancy or in early pregnancy, this can affect the way the baby develops in the uterus (womb). Neural tube defects (problems with the development of the baby’s brain and spine) are uncommon. Overall around 1 in 1000 babies are born with neural tube defects in the UK but if your BMI is over 40, your risk is three times that of a woman with a BMI below 30.
  • Miscarriage - the overall risk of a miscarriage under 12 weeks is 1 in 5 (20%), but if you have a BMI over 30, your risk increases to 1 in 4 (25%).
  • You are more likely to have a baby weighing more than 4kg (8lb and 14 ounces). If your BMI is over 30, your risk is doubled from 7 in 100 (7%) to 14 in 100 (14%) compared to women with a BMI of between 20 and 30.
  • Stillbirth - the overall risk of stillbirth in the UK is 1 in 200 (0.5%), but if you have a BMI over 30, your risk is doubled to 1 in 100 (1%).
  • If you are overweight, your baby will have an increased risk of obesity and diabetes in later life.

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for this detailed information! This is some of the highest quality content I’ve ever come across....

    ReplyDelete

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