Risk of vaginal tearing during childbirth increased by excessive pregnancy weight-gain

Excessive weight gain during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of lacerations during vaginal childbirth, according to a study conducted by researchers at Montefiore Medical Center. Among more than 1,000 women who participated in the study, 126 experienced a significant increase in their body mass index (BMI).  Of those women, 85.5 percent experienced lacerations compared to 69 percent with no change in BMI category.

Gaining weight during pregnancy causes increased risk for tears during delivery - News-medical.net 8th May 2013

Research finds childhood obesity risk factors

High birth weight, rapid weight gain and having an overweight mother who smokes can all increase the risk of a baby becoming obese later in childhood, research by experts at The University of Nottingham has found. The study, published in the latest edition of the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, also discovered that children who were breastfed and were introduced to solid food later had a slightly reduced chance of becoming overweight. The findings come following a systematic review and analysis of data from around 30 previous studies looking at the impact of factors affecting babies during the first 12 months of their lives and their potential link with childhood obesity.

HealthCanal.com 29/10/12

The Snip

British Study finds breastfeeding linked to thinness in later life in the Huffington Post.

Extreme maternal weight causes pregnancy risks

New maternal and newborn health research conducted by the University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves in Granada has shown that obese and underweight females can encounter problems both during pregnancy and once their child is born. Published in the Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, the findings indicate that overweight ladies are at risk of developing diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Meanwhile, those deemed to be too thin are prone to oligohydramnios - which is a reduction in the amount of amniotic liquid. Their children are also likely to be underweight.

International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetricsfigo.org 23/4/12