Multiple studies show that pregnant women who are overweight and given to greater change in body weight during the first trimester of pregnancy are more likely to have lengthier and more complicated deliveries.
St Mary’s Hospital in London, conducted a research on 700 women. All underwent a body mass index
define (BMI) to establish the effect of body weight on recurrent miscarriage.
Half of the women were of normal weight, 30% were overweight and 15% were obese. The result showed no difference in the miscarriage rate of overweight, normal and underweight women but the risk of miscarriage increased sharply for obese women.
There is documented evidence that 19% of obese women had a poor pregnancy outcome. This was after ruling out confounding factors like age, polycystic ovarian syndrome, estradiol concentrations and previous miscarriages.
An excessive BMI contributes to both high miscarriage rates and lower conception rates. In fact being over weight is such an important factor that a women less than 30 years with a BMI of 35 has about the same risk of miscarriage as a women of normal weight who is over 40 years.
Evidence supports a casual relationship between obesity and adverse pregnancy outcome. It is a warning for women to drop weight to the standard recommended level. By doing so, they can avoid miscarriage, both sporadic as well as recurrent.
Women who have had a miscarriage earlier are at a greater risk of having one again, if they are obese. Women who are overweight should be counseled regarding the benefits of weight loss. They should lose weight before embarking on a pregnancy, to minimize risk of a miscarriage. This should be done under the guidance of a doctor or nutritionist. Women with BMI of over 35 have more than double the risk of a miscarriage.
Dr Nick Finer, from Addenbrook’s Hospital near Cambridge said that chances of fertility are less with increasing BMI. The risk of fetal malformation increases along with risks of adverse outcomes. The reason relating this to obesity is vague, but is construed to be because of increased inflammation.
Although the link between obesity and miscarriage is for real, it is not quite that simple. Miscarriage is not a women’s fault for eating too much and not exercising. Very few people are obese by choice. It involves a complex inter working, of physiological, psychological and genetic factors.
If one is pregnant and obese, the best way out would be to consult a doctor about concerns of diet and exercise. However, it must be remembered that pregnancy is not the best time to implement a weight loss plan, as it could be potentially dangerous for both mother and child.
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