Morbid obesity in pregnancy: a review

This article aims to draw together recent thinking on pregnancy and obesity, with a particular emphasis on prevention strategies and emerging clinical complications.

New studies including a large meta-analysis have highlighted that weight reduction strategies are not associated with adverse maternal or perinatal outcomes, and there are suggestions that an approach of dietary modification alone may be associated with reduction in gestational weight gain. These findings are critically discussed with reference to future planned trials. New literature regarding hitherto under-reported complications of obesity in pregnancy such as ischaemic heart disease, schizophrenia and sleep disorders is highlighted.

There will be a need to focus on obesity prevention in the pregnant population as resources will not be adequate to the increasing incidence of the problem.