C-section more likely in obese moms-to-be

First-time mothers who are obese in their first trimester of pregnancy are nearly four times more likely to require a caesarean delivery (c-section) than women who aren't overweight. Heavier women are known to be at increased risk of a number of pregnancy complications. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, studied 4,341 women, delivering their first child, and went into spontaneous labour to understand the influence of body mass index (BMI) on the likelihood of needing a caesarean delivery. It was found that among the women with BMIs below 25, meaning they were not overweight, 4% required C-section delivery, compared to 19% of the women with a BMI of 35 or above, which denotes obesity. C-section risk climbed steadily as BMI rose. It was calculated that obese women have 4 times higher risk of undergoing a caesarean delivery as normal-weight women, after accounting for other factors that affect the risk. There are a number of mechanisms by, which excess weight could make it more difficult for women to deliver their infants vaginally. For example, heavier women tend to have bigger babies, while excess abdominal fat could interfere with the progression of labour. Further studies are needed to investigate whether interventions in early pregnancy might help prevent obese women from requiring C-sections.