Obesity is the most common medical condition in women of reproductive age.
During pregnancy it can have short and long-term consequences for both bother and child. It can cause problems with infertility, and in early gestation it can cause spontaneous pregnancy loss and congenital anomalies.
According to a new study, having a high BMI during pregnancy can impact the heart health and function of the foetus.
The study, which was conducted on mice and published in The Journal of Physiology, found that maternal obesity causes molecular changes in the heart of the foetus, which can greatly increase the risk of cardiac problems in later life.
This is the first study to show that the heart is 'programmed' by the nutrients it receives in foetal life.
Changes in the expression of genes alter how the heart normally metabolises carbohydrates and fats, according to the research.
It then shifts the heart’s nutrient preference further toward fat and away from sugar.
As a result, the hearts of foetuses of obese female mice were larger, weighed more, had thicker walls and showed signs of inflammation.
This impairs how efficiently the heart contracts and pumps blood around the body.
Lead author, Dr Owen Vaughan, University of Colorado, US said: “Our research indicates a mechanism linking maternal obesity with cardiometabolic illness in the next generation.
“This is important because obesity is increasing rapidly in the human population and affects almost one third of women of childbearing age.
“By improving our understanding of the mechanisms involved, this research paves the way for treatments that could be used in early life to prevent later-life cardiometabolic illnesses, which are costly for health services and affect many people’s quality of life.”
High blood pressure and diabetes
In another study published in the National Library of Medicine, risks associated with obesity in pregnancy was further analysed.
It found that the risk of pregnancy-associated disorders increases with the severity of obesity.
However, a 10% difference in pre-pregnancy BMI was associated with an at least 10% change in relative risk of both preeclampsia and gestational diabetes
Pre-eclampsia is a condition that causes high blood pressure during pregnancy and after labour. It can be serious if not treated.
Other health conditions increased if obese when pregnant include:
- Infections during pregnancy, like urinary tract infection
- Blood clot problems
- Problems with breastfeeding
- Needing to go to the hospital earlier in labour, having longer labour and possibly needing to have your labour induced.
