Overweight Increases Risk for Maternal and Neonatal Complications in Adolescents

Obesity is associated with higher rates of maternal and neonatal complications in adults, but what about the effects of excess weight in adolescent pregnancies? In a retrospective case-control study, researchers examined obstetric outcomes in adolescents (age, <19) who delivered at more than 23 weeks’ gestation from 1998 through 2003 in New York State.

Pregnancy outcomes were compared between 3324 normal-weight teens (body-mass index, 18.5–24.9 kg/m²) and 1498 overweight teens (BMI, >25). Overweight teens were less likely to be nulliparous and white. In an analysis adjusted for baseline differences, overweight teens were significantly more likely to experience primary cesarean section, failure to progress or cephalopelvic disproportion, labo…