Maternal obesity linked to birth defects

A major study has found that women who are obese when they conceive are more likely to have a baby with serious birth defects.

Risks of any major congenital malformation and several subgroups of organ specific malformations progressively increased with maternal overweight and increasing severity of obesity.

The study concluded that for women who are planning a pregnancy, efforts should be taken to encourage a reduced adiposity in those with a BMI above the healthy range, therefore greater than 25.