Effects of maternal obesity on the fetus

Obese pregnant women may suffer from difficult labor, and their babies may have low IQ. In severe cases, the baby may die. Therefore, pregnant women should not blindly take supplements during pregnancy, otherwise it will lead to excessive obesity. I hope pregnant women should pay attention to their diet. Let us now introduce to expectant mothers the serious effects that obesity in pregnant women can have on the fetus.

What are the effects of maternal obesity on the fetus?

1. Increase the chance of dystocia

Due to the accumulation of pelvic fat, the available pelvic space is reduced and the incidence of macrosomia is increased, which increases the chance of dystocia. It may also increase the difficulty of surgery or delivery, as well as the rate of postpartum hemorrhage and puerperal infection.

2. Increased perinatal morbidity and mortality

For example, due to difficult labor, it may cause intracranial hemorrhage, fractures, brachial plexus injury, fetal distress, newborn suffocation or death, etc. A new study in Canada found that for every one point increase in a woman's body mass index (weight/height squared) before pregnancy, the chance of giving birth to an obese child increases by 16%. Pregnant women who are too obese are more likely to give birth to deformed babies. The chance of the fetus suffering from congenital heart disease, limb abnormalities, and anal lock will increase by 20%-50%. Obese pregnant women put too much pressure on the fetal spine, making the fetus more likely to suffer from spina bifida or other neural tube defects.

3. Affect the IQ of the fetus

Children of obese mothers have an IQ that is an average of 5 points lower than children of mothers of normal weight. Swedish scientists also claim that if mothers are too obese, their offspring are more likely to suffer from ADHD.

4. Prone to miscarriage

It is understood that obesity in the early stages of pregnancy can often lead to pregnancy-induced hypertension and the risk of developing preeclampsia. This will greatly affect the development and growth of the fetus and newborn. Moreover, statistics show that the miscarriage rate among obese pregnant women is 8.7%, while the miscarriage rate among pregnant women of normal weight is 2.1%. Therefore, expectant mothers must pay attention to dietary regulation during pregnancy to prevent the occurrence of obesity during pregnancy.

What are the effects of obesity in pregnant women on the fetus? If a pregnant woman is obese, it will cause many adverse effects on the fetus, such as miscarriage, difficult labor, affecting the fetal IQ, causing various diseases, and even leading to fetal death. Therefore, for the health of the fetus and for a smooth delivery, pregnant friends must control their weight.