Pregnancy: Excess Weight Before Increases Infant Mortality Risk

Losing excess weight before pregnancy may help reduce the risk of infant mortality, according to a recent study.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health found that achieving a healthy weight before pregnancy and gaining a healthy amount during helped to dramatically reduce the risk of the baby dying during the first year of life.

"One in three women start pregnancy at an unhealthy weight, and more than half of women gain either too much or too little weight during pregnancy," lead study author Lisa Bodnar, said in a news release. "While more research needs to be conducted, we are hopeful that this study can be used to start a dialogue between physicians and women on the importance of not only gaining a healthy amount of weight while pregnant, but also reducing excess weight before they become pregnant as a potential way to improve infant survival."

During the study, researchers examined records from over 1.2 million births that occurred from 2003 to 2011 in Pennsylvania--including 5,530 infant deaths; these were defined as the death of an infant before his or her first birthday, researchers say.

Mothers in the study were classified as underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese, which was divided into three grades, based on their pre-pregnancy body mass index -- a measure of weight versus height.

"Obesity and infant mortality are among the most critical public health issues today,"  co-author Katherine Himes said in a statement. "Our study highlights the importance of discussing weight loss with obese women prior to pregnancy because losing weight during pregnancy may increase the risk of her baby dying. We hope this information empowers providers, including obstetricians, family doctors and primary care physicians, to discuss the benefits of preconception weight loss with all obese, reproductive-age women."

The study is published in the journal Obesity.

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