Fetal risks: early and latepregnancy, and long-term complications in adult life

The increase in obesity rates among pregnant women is a significant public health concern with various implications for prenatal care and supervision of delivery. From a public health perspective, obesity represents an important modifiable risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcome,1-5 with serious obstetric complications for the mother and the fetus,6-12 including increased incidence of malformation, fetal macrosomia (birth weight of 4 kg and above), and long-term complications in adult life.6-17 Figure 7.1 presents the distribution of maternal obesity during pregnancy in 1988-2000, in southern Israel. As our data are population based, this microcosmic picture reflects the global nature of the problem facing the obstetric community. This chapter discusses fetal risks of obese parturients during early and late pregnancy, as well as long-term complications in adult life.