Obesity Emerges As Major Contributor To Stillbirths, Particularly In Late-Stage Pregnancies

A substantial study conducted in Canada indicates that obesity poses a risk factor for stillbirth, particularly as pregnancy progresses towards full term. The results, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), propose that opting for an earlier delivery date could potentially decrease the risk of stillbirth for individuals with obesity during pregnancy.

The researchers analysed data from the Better Outcomes Registry and Network on 6,81,178 (over 6.8 lakh) singleton births, 1,956 of which were stillbirths, in Ontario, Canada between 2012 and 2018.

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After adjusting for other stillbirth risk factors like diabetes and high blood pressure, they found that people with class I obesity -- with body mass index (BMI) 30-34.9 kilograms per square metre (kg/m2) -- had double the risk of stillbirth at 39 weeks gestation compared to those with normal BMI (18.5-24.9 kg/m2).

For those in obesity classes II and III (BMI 35-39.9 kg/m2 and BMI 40 kg/m2 and higher, respectively), stillbirth risk at 36 weeks was 2 to 2.5 times that of people with normal BMI, the researchers said.

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This risk associated with increased BMI, a measure of body fat based on height and weight, further increased with gestational age, with a more than fourfold risk at 40 weeks, they said.