Maternal Obesity Increases CAKUT Risk

Obese pregnant women are more likely to give birth to children with congenital kidney or urinary tract abnormalities.

The latest findings involved data from birth-hospital discharge records from Washington State from 2003 to 2012, including 3,221 cases to match with healthy controls.

Findings revealed that abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) were diagnosed in up to 1 percent of pregnancies and account for an overwhelming 20 percent to 30 percent of prenatal abnormalities.

"Our findings add to the public health importance of obesity, particularly as a modifiable risk factor," added lead study author Dr. Ian Macumbe of Seattle Children's Hospital, in a news release. "The data supplement the literature regarding obesity's association with congenital abnormalities and highlight the importance of future research needed to clarify the mechanisms of these associations."

Furthermore, findings showed that mothers of infants with CAKUT were about 1.3 times more likley to be obese. However, the study found no link between being overweight and CAKUT risk in offspring.

More information regarding the findings will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2014 November 11-16 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Penn.