Maternal obesity and neonatal congenital cardiovascular defects

Abstract

Objective To determine whether isolated congenital heart defects (CHDs) were associated with maternal obesity. Method In a retrospective study we compared the incidence and severity of isolated CHDs in the offspring of 428 women divided into 3 groups, one of women of normal weight (n = 141), one of obese women (n = 228), and one of morbidly obese women (n = 59) according to their body mass index. Results There were 143 mild (66.8%), 44 moderate (20.6%), and 27 complex (12.6%) forms of CHDs in the offspring and septal defects were the most common (61.7%). No significant differences were found among the 3 groups of women regarding the type or severity of CHDs in their respective offspring, or the corrective cardiac surgery required. Conclusion No association was found between maternal weight and isolated CHDs in the offspring.