Fat women are more likely for Cesarean delivery, says Dr.Bell from Duke University NC. Years ago, anesthesia had been one of the major causes of maternal mortality. Pregnancy and obesity both make it difficult to breathe under general anesthesia, so a woman's risk is doubled when the two conditions are combined.
Bell and colleagues studied more than 3000 women and calculated each woman's body mass index (BMI), a measurement of body fat calculated using a formula that is based on height and weight, and related it to her chances of having a Cesarean section.Women requiring the surgery were an average weight of 191 pounds and had an average BMI of 53, while women who delivered vaginally weighed an average of 182 pounds and had an average BMI of 31.
The researchers also found that the number of women who needed a C-section increased as BMI of a person increased. Among women with a BMI of 20 or less ( which indicates a low amount of body fat),had a normal delivery. Whereas if BMI ranged from 21-30 ( which indicates a range of body fat from healthy to a fatter proportion), the incidence was 0.3%, and when BMI was 31-40 (obesity), the incidence was 33% .
Women should take care against excessive weight gain while pregnant, to avoid unnecessary hassels.They should work to be in good shape for a normal delivery.
