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Fetal Risks and Morbidity in Pregnant Individuals with Obesity

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

To provide an up-to-date summary on the fetal risks associated with maternal obesity, specifically the risks of fetal anomalies, abnormal fetal growth, and stillbirth.

Recent Findings

With the emerging data on fetal outcomes in individuals with the highest class of obesity, there is growing evidence that for many fetal adverse outcomes, there is a direct relationship between increasing maternal obesity class and the severity of the fetal outcome.

Summary

Maternal obesity is associated with an increased risk of various fetal anomalies including fetal congenital cardiac disease, although there is a decreased risk of fetal gastroschisis. There is also an increased risk of both fetal macrosomia and fetal growth restriction in individuals with obesity. There is an approximately twofold increase in the risk of stillbirth in individuals with obesity. For many of these fetal risks, there is dose-response relationship between obesity class and severity of the fetal outcome. Fetal aneuploidy and sonographic screening strategies can be more challenging in individuals with obesity, which may contribute to under-detection and increased neonatal morbidity. At this time, prevention of these fetal risks is focused on prenatal weight optimization.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Magee-Womens Hospital, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Tiffany Wang & Maisa Feghali

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  1. Tiffany Wang
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  2. Maisa Feghali
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Correspondence to Tiffany Wang.

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Wang, T., Feghali, M. Fetal Risks and Morbidity in Pregnant Individuals with Obesity. Curr Obstet Gynecol Rep 12, 30–36 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13669-023-00347-w

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