[Pregnancy and obesity. A case control study of 140 cases]

A retrospective study of 70 fat women and 70 women of normal weight was carried out to compare their obstetric performance. The patients were assessed before pregnancy for corpulence by estimating the body mass index (IMC). Obesity was defined by having an index of 30 or above. The mean weight of the obese patients at delivery was 142 kgs and of the controls 65.4 kgs. The main risk in obese patients is a raised blood pressure (34%); and in spite of this no child showed intrauterine growth retardation. The mean weight of the newborn infants was 3.7 kgs against a mean weight of 3.2 kgs in the control group. Eighteen infants born to obese mothers were very heavy (25%). The increase in fetal weight explains why the caesarean section rate was three times as high in the obese patients as in the control due to disproportion (25%). These differences are statistically significant. Neonatal morbidity was similar in the two groups. It is debatable whether a slimming diet was worthwhile. All the same calorie intake reduced slightly to about 1.800 calories a day together with vitamin supplements is advisable. It does not have any ill effect on the fetus.