Obesity linked to birth defect risk

Women obese during pregnancy have a small increased risk of some birth defects, such as spina bifida and neural tube defects, British researchers said.

Katherine J. Stothard and colleagues from Newcastle University in England conducted a review and meta-analysis of studies to assess the relationship between maternal overweight and obesity and the risk of congenital anomaly in newborns.

The researchers identified 39 articles that were included in a systematic review and 18 articles in the meta-analysis.

In women who were obese at the start of pregnancy, the meta-analysis demonstrated a significantly increased risk of a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect; including spina bifida; cardiovascular anomaly; cleft palate and cleft lip and palate; abnormality of the anus/rectum; abnormal enlargement of the ventricles of the brain due to accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid and a limb reduction, the study authors said in a statement.

An estimated 3 percent of all live births in the United States are affected by a structural anomaly with 0.68 per 1,000 births being affected by a neural tube defect and 2.25 per 1,000 births being affected by a serious heart anomaly.

The findings are published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.