Obese Pregnant Women Need Extra Day In Hospital, Added Health Care

Boston (dbTechno) - According to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it seems that obese pregnant women put more stress on hospitals. They are far more likely to go through extra medical tests, and have an elongated stay in the hospital after delivery, compared to women who are of normal weight.

Findings in the past have revealed that obese pregnant women are more likely to experience complications during delivery. This was not looked at directly, but certainly hinted at with these figures.

The report looked at data from patients in the Kaiser Permanente Northwest health maintenance organization. The study included over 13,000 women giving birth between 2000 and 2004.

The CDC stated that obese pregnant women received more prenatal tests as well as extra doctor visits. They also received more prescription medications and other testing compared to women of normal weight.

In terms of hospital stay, on average the obese pregnant women spent one more day in the hospital after delivery.

The CDC stated that the main reason for the elongated hospital stay was due to factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, as well as Caesarean sections.

The study has been published in the April 3 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.