Overweight women undergo long duration of labour as compared to thinner women.
Overweight women undergo longer duration of labour as compared to thinner women.Previous research has shown that obese women undergo caesarean sections twice as often as normal-weight women, but the reasons were not fully clear. The new findings suggest that overweight women's typically slower labour is one factor. Researchers from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor studied 612 women and found that those women whose pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) fell into the overweight category spent more time during labour. The findings suggest that a woman's pre-pregnancy weight should be a factor in the decision on whether to do a caesarean.
The findings add to the list of pregnancy and labour problems for which overweight women are at greater risk. Besides their high rate of having a caesarean, heavy women are more likely to develop gestational diabetes or high blood pressure during pregnancy, and are more likely to deliver abnormally large infants. It's important for women of childbearing age to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly, so that they can have the best possible nutritional status going into pregnancy.
Experts advise that normal-weight women gain 25 to 35 pounds over the course of pregnancy, while those who are overweight should put on 15 to 25 pounds. Women should not attempt to lose weight while they're pregnant.
Researchers focused on women's progression during the active part of the first stage of labour, when the cervix dilates from 4 to 10 centimeters. It was found that while women with a healthy pre-pregnancy BMI typically spent just over 6 hours in this part of labour, overweight and obese women took 7.5 to 8 hours to progress through it.Pre-pregnancy BMI was linked to longer labour even when other factors were considered, including the baby's birth size, the mother's weight gain during pregnancy, and use of epidural anaesthesia during labour. The reason for the slower labour progression is uncertain, but may have to do with excess fat hindering the widening of the birth canal.
The findings add to the list of pregnancy and labour problems for which overweight women are at greater risk. Besides their high rate of having a caesarean, heavy women are more likely to develop gestational diabetes or high blood pressure during pregnancy, and are more likely to deliver abnormally large infants. It's important for women of childbearing age to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly, so that they can have the best possible nutritional status going into pregnancy.
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Obstetrics & Gynecology,
November 2004
November 2004
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