Mothers with obesity at greater risk of stillbirth: Canadian study
Global News
A new CMAJ study suggests there is a higher risk of stillbirth in mothers with obesity, with experts saying early delivery could help minimize those risks.
With obesity rates rising in Canada and globally, new research suggests there is a higher risk of stillbirth in mothers with obesity. Experts say early delivery could help minimize those risks.
The study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) Monday found that maternal obesity on its own and along with other risk factors, like diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, substance use and chronic hypertension, was associated with an increased likelihood of fetal death occurring after 20 weeks of gestation or at a birth weight of at least 500 grams.
Researchers at Dalhousie University, The Ottawa Hospital and Queen’s University analyzed data of roughly 700,000 births, out of which almost 2,000 were stillbirths, in Ontario between April 1, 2012 and December 31, 2018.
They concluded that pregnant people in the highest obesity classes II and III – with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 35.0 – have a greater overall risk of stillbirth than those with a normal BMI of 18.5–24.9. The BMI for class I obesity is in the 30.0 -34.9 range, meaning a woman of an average height weighing 200 pounds.
“What we found is that there are higher risks of stillbirth in people with obesity, especially in the higher classes and especially at term,” said Dr. Naila Ramji, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist in Fredericton, N.B., and assistant professor at Dalhousie University.
The risk of stillbirth in obese pregnancies increases with the gestational age, especially beyond 37 weeks, Ramji, who was the lead study author, told Global News.
At around 38 weeks, the risk of stillbirth for pregnant people with obesity was roughly double to 2.5 times, compared to someone with a normal BMI and the risk was four to 4.5 times closer to 40 weeks, which is the due date, she said.
“That timing of delivery can really reduce that risk because the risk is not as high when you deliver a little bit earlier,” Ramji said.
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