Obesity a danger to the unborn child

Research by Corcoy et al. published in the journal Diabetologia is highlighted by an article on the BBC News web site for 19/07/04. The researchers looked at the relationship between the mother's blood sugar levels and weight and birth defects in more than 2,000 children born to women with gestational diabetes. The mother's degree of obesity, measured by body mass index, appeared to be the main predicting factor for heart defects in the unborn child. It was the only factor that predicted whether the baby was likely to be born with kidney and urinary tract problems.