OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of maternal superobesity (body mass index [BMI], ≥50 kg/m2) compared with morbid obesity (BMI, 40–49.9 kg/m2) or obesity (BMI, 30–39.9 kg/m2) on perinatal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN We conducted a retrospective cohort study of birth records that were linked to hospital discharge data for all liveborn singleton term infants who were born to obese Missouri residents from 2000–2006. We excluded major congenital anomalies and women with diabetes mellitus or chronic hypertension. RESULTS There were 64,272 births that met the study criteria, which included 1185 superobese mothers (1.8%). Superobese women were significantly more likely than obese women to have preeclampsia (adjusted relative risk [aRR], 1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4 –2.1), macrosomia (aRR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.3–2.5), and cesarean delivery (aRR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.5–2.1). Almost one-half of all superobese women (49.1%) delivered by cesarean section, and 33.8% of superobese nulliparous women underwent scheduled primary cesarean delivery. CONCLUSION Women with a BMI of ≥50 kg/m2 are at significantly increased risk for perinatal complications compared with obese women with a lower BMI.

No abstract

Objective To estimate the effect of race on perinatal outcomes in obese women. Methods Retrospective cohort study of birth records linked to hospital discharge data for all live born singleton infants ≥37 weeks gestation born to African-American or Caucasian Missouri residents from 2000 to 2006. We excluded major congenital anomalies and women with diabetes or chronic hypertension. Obesity was defined as pre-pregnancy body mass index ≥30 kg/m2. Results There were 312 412 births meeting study criteria. 27.1% (11 776) of African-American mothers and 19.1% (49 415) of Caucasian mothers were obese. There were no differences in cesarean delivery or preeclampsia between obese African-American and obese Caucasian women. Infants of obese African-American women were significantly less likely to be macrosomic (0.9% vs. 2.2%, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.4 0.6) and more likely to be low birth weight (3.4% vs. 1.8%, aOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.7, 2.2) compared to infants of obese Caucasian women. Compared to their normal weight peers, obese Caucasian women had a greater relative risk of developing preeclampsia (aOR 3.1, 95% CI 2.9, 3.2) than obese African-American women (aOR 2.1, 95% CI 1.9, 2.4). Conclusion Racial disparities impact obesity-related maternal and neonatal complications of pregnancy.

No abstract

Breech presentation at delivery is a marker for the presence of congenital anomaly. Infants delivered breech deserve special scrutiny for the presence of malformation.