Health

Obesity 'raises miscarriage risk'

by LotusFlower | September 21, 2008 at 02:30 am

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This research is new in that it looks at recurrent miscarriage for the first time and seems to show that obese women are in greater danger not only of miscarriage but also of having malformed babies. With obesity rates in the UK and USA at their highest ever rates this could lead to an increase in miscarriages. The report's authors however warn obese pregnant women not to try and lose too much weight once pregnant as this would actually increase the risk of miscarriage.

Women who have had a miscarriage could be at greater risk of miscarrying again if they are obese, research suggests.

A team from London's St Mary's Hospital followed the progress of 696 women whose miscarriages were classed as "unexplained" by a specialist clinic.

The team told a conference in Canada the risk of a further miscarriage was raised by 73% if the woman was obese.

However, an obesity specialist said it was potentially dangerous to try to lose weight when already pregnant.