Rolando A Hernandez Fernandez, Lizmery Valdes Collazo, Sonia Clapes Hernandez and Araceli Lantigua Cruz
Background: The objective of this study was to assess, from the data set recorded in Cuban Record of Congenital Malformations of the National Center for Medical Genetics and Hospital “Eusebio Hernández” in Havana, whether maternal obesity was associated with an increased risk for various structural birth defects.
Methods: This is a retrospective study about relationship between maternal obesity and congenital defects. The study population consisted of 217 new borns and fetuses with congenital malformations in three municipalities of Havana: Lisa, Playa, and Marianao from January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2008. Maternal weight and height data were obtained from the archives of Hospital “Eusebio Hernandez”, where the children were born or the pregnancies were interrupted. Women were grouped in four categories of body mass index (BMI) according to the World Health Organization classification.
Results: About thirty percent (29.5%) of the study population was overweight and 14.7% were obese. Cardiovascular defects (34.4%) and neural tube defects (37.5%) were the most frequent malformations. Other congenital defects were less frequent and maternal overweight does not appear to be associated with them.
Conclusion: Maternal obesity is a risk for congenital defects, especially cardiovascular and neural tube defects. Physicians must keep in mind this situation in order to offer a good prenatal service to obese pregnant woman.