Geplaatst: 9 mrt 2007 13:13 - Gewijzigd: 9 mrt 2007 12:45

More health care for obese mothers-to-be

LONDON - Obese mothers-to-be need significantly more National Health Service (NHS) care than pregnant women of a healthy weight, a study says.

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NHS staff told researchers obese women need closer monitoring and special equipment, and have a higher risk of complications such as pre-eclampsia. They also said additional abdominal fat can make it hard to feel and scan a developing baby properly.

The University of Teesside researchers, who spoke to maternity staff, called for better education about the risks. The researchers interviewed 33 heads of midwifery, midwives, obstetricians and other professionals from 16 maternity units in the north east of England for their research in BJOG: International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

The BJOG research is the first to look at the impact on the NHS of caring for pregnant women who are obese. They found the women needed more tests because of an increased risk of conditions such as pregnancy-related diabetes, high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia. Additional layers of abdominal fat make it hard to feel and scan a developing baby to check its size and heart-rate.

Obese mothers-to-be also need specialist equipment, such as modified beds and wheelchairs. And they are also more likely to require an emergency Caesarean - and are at an increased risk of complications, such as wound infection and blood clots, after the surgery. (RD)