Greater Risk of Heart Defects for Babies Born to Overweight Moms

A new study has highlighted another important reason to maintain a healthy weight while trying to conceive: babies born to overweight and obese moms are more likely to have heart defects.

The study, conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and published in October's issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, found that:

• Women who were overweight (BMI 25-29.9) or obese (BMI 30-34.9) when they conveived had an 18% higher risk of having a baby with a heart defect.
• Women who were severely obese (BMI 35-39.9) had a 30% higher risk.

Moms who had diabetes (a high risk factor for heart defects) weren't included in the study, and the researchers adjusted for factors like ethnicity, and the mother's age. The study included 6,440 infants with congenital heart defects, and 5,673 infants who didn't have heart problems.

Dr Edwin Trevathan from the CDC said:

Congenital heart defects are the most common types of birth defect, and among all birth defects, they are a leading cause of illness, death and medical expenditures.

The researchers found that out of 25 types of heart defect, 10 are influenced by obesity. Five of these 10 were linked with women who were overweight before becoming pregnant.

If you're considering trying for a baby and you're currently overweight, the CDC advises that you talk to your doctor and work to achieve a healthy weight before pregnancy.

If you are currently pregnant and were overweight or obese when you conceived, please don't take this new research as a reason to panic. Across the US, around 6 in every 200 newborns are born with heart defects, so even a 30% increase in risk would mean that this increases only to 7 in 200.