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Chapter-26 Obesity and Pregnancy

BOOK TITLE: Management of High-Risk Pregnancy—A Practical Approach

Author
1. Fernandez Evita
ISBN
9789380704739
DOI
10.5005/jp/books/11228_26
Edition
1/e
Publishing Year
2010
Pages
12
Author Affiliations
1. Fernandez Hospital for Women and the Newborn, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India, Fernandez Hospital, Hyderabad, Fernandez Hospital Pvt. Ltd., 4-1-1230, Bogulkunta, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India, Fernandez Hospital Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India, Fernandez Hospital; Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Chapter keywords

Abstract

Obesity is the major public health issue of our time. The World Health Organization describes obesity as one of the most blatantly visible, yet most neglected public-health problems that threaten to overwhelm both more and less developed countries. Obesity is usually defined epidemiologically using the body mass index (BMI), weight related to height, where > 30 kg/m2 is considered as obese and > 40 kg/m2 as morbidly obese. A BMI of 18–25 kg/m2 is considered a healthy weight with 26–29 kg/m2 identified as overweight. Obesity is growing health epidemic. The pregnancy in obese mother must be considered a ‘high-risk pregnancy’ that needs multidisciplinary care. Obesity is associated with increased risk of first trimester miscarriages, fetal neural tube defects and cardiac anomalies, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, sleep apnea and asthma, venous thromboembolism and recurrent genitourinary tract infections. Obese women have higher rates of induction of labor and almost three fold increased frequency of both elective and emergency cesarean section. Obese mothers are more likely to develop metabolic syndrome later on in life thus posing a significant health and economic burden worldwide. Greater awareness is needed by the health professionals who can target obese women of childbearing age, education and advice being the key factors. Preventing obesity needs a change in thinking—a societal change. There is an urgent need for active partnership between government, science, business and civil society.

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