PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Too much extra weight during pregnancy puts women at higher risk for having heavy babies, who can grow into overweight or obese adults, U.S. researchers said.
A study by the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research of 41,540 women who gave birth in Washington, Oregon and Hawaii from 1995-2003 found that those who gained more than 40 pounds during their pregnancies were nearly twice as likely to have a heavy baby.
The study, published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, found that more than 1 in 5 women gains excessive weight during pregnancy, doubling her chances of having a baby that weighs 9 pounds or more.
"A big baby also poses serious risks for both mom and baby at birth," lead author Dr. Teresa Hillier of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Oregon and Hawaii.
More than 20 percent of the women who gained more than 40 pounds -- the maximum recommended pregnancy weight gain -- gave birth to heavy babies. In contrast, less than 12 percent of women with normal weight gain had heavy babies, the study said.
