EFFECTS OF MATERNAL OBESITY ON QUALITY OF LIFE, FETAL DEVELOPMENT AND BIRTH OUTCOMES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Objectives: To compile the developmental and birth outcomes in obese women Methods: A thorough search of pertinent databases was done in order to find studies that satisfied the requirements for inclusion. A thorough search of PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Science Direct was conducted to find pertinent literature. Results: Ten studies, including a total of 763,265 obese women were included in our data. Nine studies considered a BMI >= 30 kg/m2 as obesity, while only one study used 25 kg/m2 as a cut-off point for obesity. Four studies reported that maternal obesity was a significant and modifiable risk factorfor stillbirth incidence. Maternal obesity has also been associated with an increased risk of macrosomia, lower APGAR scores at one minute, lower APGAR scores at five minutes, increased rates of newborn critical care unit admissions, and birth defects. Conclusion: The development of birth outcomes appears to be significantly influenced by maternal fat. To infer which maternal exposure has a greater effect on the development of childhood obesity is currently impossible due to a lack of evidence. Effective public and personal health programs that maximize gestational weight gain and minimize pre pregnancy weight are desperately needed.