by Richard Killmer
A recent study indicates that overweight women are more likely to give birth to a child with congenital heart defects according to the U.S. government. The study, conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stated that women that are obese have a 18 percent chance of giving birth to a child with a heart defect while women who are severely obese have a 30 percent chance of giving birth to a child with a heart defect. Congenital heart defects are the most common birth defects and they are the leading cause of illness, death and medical expenditures. This study showed that obese women have a greater chance of giving their child a heart defect by the mother’s obesity. The study also stated that if a women if obese and pregnant she should try to get healthier during the pregnancy by seeing their doctor and trying to find a safe way of losing weight.
