Fetal outcome among obese parturients.

A controlled study of the fetal outcome among 300 obese gravidae revealed a perinatal loss ten times greater than among nonobese mothers. Diabetes mellitus, pre-eclampsia and advanced maternal age overwhelmingly contributed to this difference. However infants of obese grand multiparae were not at additional risk. Considering live infants the 1 min Apgar score was significantly lower in the study group and was confined to those mothers not at the extremes of maternal age, parity and gestational age. There was no difference in Apgar scores among infants delivered by cesarean section. However significantly more infants of obese mothers delivered vaginally were depressed. These results emphasize the need for stricter obstetric care in the elderly obese mother and those with pre-eclampsia and diabetes. The uncomplicated obese parturient appears to be at no additional risk in terms of fetal outcome.