Overweight pregnant women,,,?

Question

Do you think that the risk of having to have a c-section is greater with overweight women? Do you think that overweight women have larger babies?

What is your experience?

Answer 1

I am an over weight mother and during my pregnancy I have never had to have a c-section. Also my children were about 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 pounds at birth, so I would say that there not bigger just becuase your over wieght.
Mother of 4 and pregnant again.

Answer 2

Statistically, yes, overweight women have a higher chance of having a c-section. However, there are some (including doctors) that think that this is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Overweight women are at a particular disadvantage to be laying in bed while in labor. It makes breathing more difficult and way more difficult to move around. It may have a lot to do with why many overweight women fail to progress. Talk to your doctor in advance. One of the local hospitals provides free doulas and even the obese moms have a significantly reduced rate of c-section.

Overweight women 'tend' to have larger babies only because they also tend to have higher blood sugar. If she doesn't have high blood sugar, her baby will most likely be within average ranges (this from my doctor who has retired from OB).

My comments relate to women who are 40 pounds or more overweight. There is really no evidence that women who are less than 40 pounds overweight have any particular problems related to weight.

Answer 3

There's been so many studies on this and they all conflict with each other. The latest is claiming that being obese can lead to birth defects and premature babies. Also underweight babies. There is a higher risk in c-sections for morbidly obese women just due to the amount of blood and tissue that is there. But just for overweight by 15-50 pounds I would say no. I'm overweight and have had none of the problems they say I'd have and no problems with my epidural with my son. We'll see how the c-section goes in 10 weeks!

Answer 4

The last pregnancy I was about 80 pounds overweight, and I did get that huge, pregnant looking belly. I normally look less heavy than I am, though. I have a lot of muscle underneath. But don't worry yet. I didn't really start showing until month 5 or so with my first, between 4 and 6 with my second.

Answer 5

Yes, I was told by my Dr. that overweight women have a greater risk of having a c-section. MOst do have larger babies both because of their diet (if a poor diet), and if they have type 2 diabetes. I was 10 pounds overweight when I got pregnant with #4, but he told me as long as I watched what I ate and kept up with my regular exercise schedule, that I would be fine.

Answer 6

i was about 20 pounds overweight when i got pregnant then kinda went with ima get fat anyways and gained about 50 pounds ended up have gestational diabetes which brought me to reality and ive lost about 10 pounds just eating healthy and monitoring my sugar im 37 wks had a ultra sound yesterday baby is 6 pounds 5 ounces(estimate) and breech so i will prolly end up havin a scheduled c-section although we hoping she'll turn so really i just think like non over weight women everyones different if she was head down i prolly would had a normal vaginal delivery or if i wasn't overweight shed prolly still wouldve been breech had still been scheduled for the c-section

Answer 7

It is a higher risk of them developing gestational diabetes, which can in turn lead them to having bigger babies, and sometimes requiring a c-section. I am a diabetic and was about 40 pounds overweight when I became pregnant with my son and I ended up having an emergency c-section due to placental abruption due to my diabetes not being under control when I got pregnant.

Answer 8

I was not overweight when I got pregnant, and still ended up having a c-section and a baby that was almost 12 pounds, so it doesn't matter. I didn't have gestastional diabetes either. What matters is eating healthy, walking every day and trying to be stress free.

Answer 9

I am overweight, have had 3 kids by c-section, had gestational diabetes with 2 of them, and they all turned out just under 8 lbs.

My c-sections were because I wouldn't labor, no matter what they did, all I dialated was 2cm...and that was after I was 2 weeks late, and they had been inducing me for 3 days straight. After that, I had repeat c-sections, cause I'm scared of VBAC uterine rupture.

Answer 10

I have to say that it is a greater risk of having a c-section!!! I am over weight, and my doctor told me that I have about a 30% of having to have a c-section, just because of my weight, but I have had other complications too!!!