Obese women have more C-secciones

An often overlooked risk of obesity in women is the effect on childbirth. A study of almost 12,000 women found that doctors are 2.5 times more likely to perform a caesarean section in obese women.

The underlying question here is whether caesarean section is really warranted.

The researchers suggest that many doctors have fears to deal with obese women. The work may be slow and doctors fear that a heavier woman means a heavier baby, and therefore likely to get stuck on the way out.

Of course Caesarean sections are quite minor compared with other possible complications of being obese and expected. Other risks include; An increased risk of death to mothers and one almost doubling in the chances of a baby dying in utero or within the first year of life (a few more by 1000 according to a study of 8).Increased risk of hypertension, gestational diabetes and preterm birth.Obese women are less able to fight infections, such as chorioamnionitis - a potentially serious disease that can cause blood clots in the mother's pelvis and lungs and meningitis, blood infections or respiratory problems in the newborn infants.Babies of mothers who are obese are at increased risk for iron deficiency, which can impair the development of the brain.Obese women have an increased risk of 2-3 x to deliver a baby with a defect of the neural tube (defects of the brain and spinal cord) that the women of normal weight and how much heavier the woman, the worst risk.

Everyone is uncomfortable when you are dealing with a very large woman "you are damned if and damned if you do not." "Caesarean section is going to be difficult, and so than vaginal birth."

-Dr. Lawrence Oppenheimer, main site of obstetrics at the General Campus of the Ottawa Hospital.

The surgery itself is technically more difficult in a strong woman... "We must use a protocol standard for the management of the work and instead of saying, 'I think that it is going to go wrong,' really give women the right moment for labour".

-Dr. Haim Abenhaim, a specialist in fetal and maternal medicine and director of perinatal research Montreal Jewish General Hospital.

It makes sense make calls individually and a research rather than assumptions and fears at the time of delivery of babies of obese mothers.

At the same time, more education is justified when it comes to risks to the health of the mother and baby carry too much weight. Canadian pregnancy specialist called the current "laissez-faire" attitude when it comes to address the weight before pregnancy.