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NHS maternity units are struggling
to cope with the growing number of obese pregnant women.
Few have all the specialist equipment they need to deal with complex deliveries or emergencies, a report has found.
Most have the right kind of delivery beds and blood pressure monitoring equipment but many do not have extra-wide chairs, theatre trolleys or ward beds. One in 10 obstetric units does not have operating theatre tables suitable for obese women.
In addition, 44% of maternity units have no local guidelines and for the care and management of pregnant women who are obese.
The survey, from the Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries (Cmace), comes as it issued joint guidance with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG).
The guidance – to the NHS – says obese pregnant women with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or over should be discouraged from giving birth at home. Instead, they should be referred to a hospital unit led by consultants.
The guidance also calls for overweight women to be given advice on diet and exercise to prevent them gaining more weight in pregnancy.
Experts from the Cmace are currently auditing how many pregnant women are also obese at the time they give birth.
Data will not be available for several months although a 2004 report puts the figure at one in five.
Obese pregnant women are at increased risk of blood clots, needing a Caesarean section, wound infections and complications with anaesthesia. Babies of obese mothers also have higher risks, including increased risk of stillbirth, being born premature or dying in the first few days of life.
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