NEWS    RECALLS    COMPLAINT FORM    SCAM ALERTS   RESOURCES  
Small Claims Guide   Class Actions   Lemon Laws   FAQ   Newsletters  


Complain about a product or service

Automotive    Education    Employment    Electronics    Family    Finance    Health    Homeowners    Pets    Shopping    Travel   



NEWS   Latest |  Archives |  Auto |  Cells, etc. |  Computers |  Financial |  Health |  Homeowners |  Parents |  Privacy |  Scams |  Seniors |  Travel

Mother's Obesity Tied to Birth Defects





August 6, 2007

CDC Launches Obesity Website
Modest Exercise Can Reduce Negative Effects of Belly Fat
Keep The Faith and Lose The Weight?
Families That Eat Together Means Kids Eating Better
New Factor in Teen Obesity: Parents
Possible Drug Target Found for Obesity Treatment
Weight Management Requires "Lifelong Commitment"
Obama Urged to Tackle Obesity
5 Tips for Eating Right in 2009
"All You Can Eat" A Ticket to Obesity
Sour Economy May Affect Eating Habits
Fast Food Has Fewer Calories Than Traditional Restaurant Meals
Gene May Make You Crave Fast Food
'Western' Diet Increases Heart Attack Risk Globally
CSPI Raps Nickelodeon Food Ads
New Study Links Inactivity to Desire for More Food
Researchers Suppress "Hunger Hormone"
Parents Can Shape Childrens' Eating Habits
Overweight Doesn't Always Mean Unhealthy
Exercise in a Pill?
Study: 86 Percent of Americans Could Be Obese by 2030
Americans Becoming Even More Obese, CDC Says
New Guide Lists Calories in Beer, Wine, Cocktails
Experts Fact-Check 'McDonald's Diet' Story
Dementia Linked To Obesity
Study Ties Obesity, Inflammation to Heart Failure
Doctor Offers Antidote To 'Super-Size Me' Diet
Eating Disorders Widespread Among U.S. Women, Survey Finds
Obesity A More Costly Workplace Health Issue Than Smoking
A 'Healthy Weight' May Not Be So Healthy
Skipping Breakfast May Lead to Obesity
Obesity Blamed for Rising Stroke Rate in Women
Spanish Language TV Linked To Latino Child Obesity
Fast Food+Sedentary Lifestyle=Liver Damage
Artificial Sweeteners Linked to Weight Gain
Mississippi May Ban Restaurant Sales to the Obese
Eat Less or Exercise More?
Researchers Find 'Fat-Burner' Compounds
Obesity Linked to Decreased Seatbelt Use
Low-Calorie Food Prices Surge
Italian Restaurants Serve Up the Fat
Viral Infections May Promote Obesity
Brits Find Obesity Deadlier Than Smoking
Healthy Restaurants May Bring Out Bad Eating Habits
'Bad Carbs' Not the Enemy, Researcher Argues
New Pill May Make Weight Loss Safer
---
Weight Loss News
Childhood Obesity

A new study finds mothers of babies born with some structural birth defects -- including missing limbs, malformed hearts and underdeveloped spinal cords -- appear more likely to be obese prior to becoming pregnant.

The study was published in the August issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

Overweight and obese women are known to be at risk for chronic diseases, infertility, irregular menstruation and complications during pregnancy. In 2003 and 2004, about 51 percent of women aged 20 to 39 were classified as overweight or obese.

D. Kim Waller, Ph.D., and colleagues from the University of Texas, Houston, interviewed 10,249 women in eight states whose babies were born with birth defects between 1997 and 2002.

The women were contacted between six weeks and 24 months after the baby’s birth and asked for their height and weight before pregnancy, along with other demographic and medical information. These women were compared with 4,065 women who had babies without birth defects during the same time period.

Mothers of babies with the following seven of 16 birth defects were more likely to be obese than mothers of infants without birth defects:
• Spina bifida, a condition that occurs when part of the spinal cord is uncovered, causing incontinence and problems with mobility
• Heart defects
• Anorectal atresia, malformation of the anal opening
• Hypospadias, which occurs when the urethra opens on the underside instead of the end of the penis
• Limb reduction defects, such as small or missing toes, fingers, arms or legs
• Diaphragmatic hernia, or an opening in the diaphragm that allows abdominal organs to move into the chest cavity and may cause lungs to be underdeveloped
• Omphalocele, in which the intestines or other abdominal organs protrude out through the navel

Mothers of babies with gastroschisis, which is similar to omphalocele but involves organs protruding through a defect in the abdominal wall that is not the navel, were significantly less likely to be obese than mothers of babies without birth defects.

Women with type 2 diabetes were excluded from the study, and when the analysis was performed also excluding women with gestational diabetes, the results were similar. However, undiagnosed cases of type 2 or gestational diabetes may have affected the results.

“Our study supports previous evidence as well as provides new evidence for the associations between maternal obesity and particular categories of birth defects,” the authors conclude. “Future inquiries are needed to unravel the underlying reasons for these associations.”



Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.



Asterpix

CONSUMER NEWS

SAFETY RECALLS

PRINT, ETC.

Print This

Email This


FREE CONSUMER NEWSLETTERS

The Daily Consumer
Afternoons M-F

Sign up now!


Consumer News & Alerts
Every Sunday

Sign up now!

MOST-VIEWED PAGES

NEW COMPLAINTS

Hey there! ConsumerAffairs.com is using Twitter.
Twitter is a free service that lets you keep in touch throughout the day. Join today to start receiving ConsumerAffairs.com's updates.



Back to the top |

Advertisement


Custom Search
AUTOMOTIVE
• Dealers
• Manufacturers
• Service
• Extended Warranties
• Lemon Laws
• Recalls
• Tires
• Transporters

FAMILY
• Aging
• Children, Parenting
• Recalls
• Dating
• Education
• Entertainment
• Pets
• Weddings
FINANCE
• Annuities
• Banks
• Credit Cards
• Debt Collection
• Debt Counseling
• Insurance
• Investing
• Loans
• Mortgages
• Payday Loans
• Student Loans
• Tax Prep

HEALTH
• Doctors
• Drugs, Pharmacies
• Health Clubs
• Hearing Care
• Hospitals
• Nursing Homes
• Nutrition, Diets
• Vision Care
• Weight Loss
HOMEOWNERS & RENTERS
• Appliances
• Cookware
• Furniture
• Home Improvements
• Lawn & Garden
• Movers
• Pools & Spas
• Realtors, Rental Agents
• Recalls
• Utilities

ELECTRONICS
• Cable TV/DBS
• Cameras
• Cell Phones
• Computers
• Home Electronics
• Internet Access
• Local Phone Service
• Long Distance
• VoIP
SHOPPING
• In-Home
• Online
• Retail Stores
• Sporting Goods
• Supermarkets
• Telemarketers

TRAVEL
• Airlines
• Bus Lines
• Car Rental
• Cruises
• Hotels
• Travel Agents
• Trains

RESOURCES
• Class Actions
• Complaint Form
• Small Claims Guide
• Lemon Laws
CONSUMER NEWS
• Latest News
• Automotive
• Telecom
• Financial
• Health
• Homeowners
• Scams
• Seniors
• Travel
• More ...

RECALLS
• Automotive
• Children's Products
• Drugs
• Food
• Household Products
• Sporting Goods

ABOUT US
• FAQ
• Privacy Policy
• Advertise With Us
• Newsroom
• Syndication
• Terms of Use

Terms of Use Your use of this site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use

Advertisements on this site are placed and controlled by outside advertising networks. ConsumerAffairs.com does not evaluate or endorse the products and services advertised. See the FAQ for more information.

Company Response Welcome If complaints about your company appear on our site, we welcome your response. Please see the Response Form for more information.

For more information, see the FAQ and privacy policy. The information on this Web site is general in nature and is not intended as a substitute for competent legal advice.  ConsumerAffairs.com Inc. makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information herein provided and assumes no liability for any damages or loss arising from the use thereof. 

Copyright © 2003-2009 ConsumerAffairs.com Inc.  All Rights Reserved.    The contents of this site may not be republished, reprinted, rewritten or recirculated without written permission.