Heavy Mums more likely to have Larger Infants

Lead author of “Maternal weight characteristics influence recurrence of fetal macrosomic in women with normal glucose tolerance”, Rhona Mahony examines the relationship between maternal weight and recurrence of fetal macrosomia in non-diabetic women delivering a second infant following first macrosomic pregnancy and finds that increased body mass index (BMI) elevated the risk of a recurrent macrosomic pregnancy.

Out of the 111 women who delivered a first macrosomic baby, about one-third gave birth to a second macrosomic infant. These women who had a second large baby were heavier at the start of the pregnancy compared to women without recurring macrosomic babies.

Another factor that increases the risk of recurrent macrosomic pregnancy is excessive maternal weight gain during pregnancy.

“Women with macrosomic firstborns should not gain excessive weight during second pregnancy to decrease the risk of having another large baby”, says Dr. Mahony.

She added, “An increase of more than 11 kg in the second pregnancy increased the risk of a macrosomic baby by three times, and the risk of having a recurrence of macrosomia by fivefold.”

This paper is published in the October 2007 issue of The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Media wishing to receive a PDF or schedule media interviews with the authors should contact Alina Boey, PR & Communications Manager Asia at alina.boey@asia.blackwellpublishing.com or phone 613-83591046.