title: Obesity epidemic: impact from preconception to postpartum.
abstract: The obesity epidemic is on the rise throughout the USA and the world. Not only does it affect the general population but it also specifically poses unique threats to a woman's life in the antepartum, peripartum and postpartum periods. An increased BMI is associated with worse perinatal outcomes, including higher rates of preeclampsia (and other hypertensive disorders), macrosomia, other neonatal morbidities and gestational diabetes. Isolated maternal obesity and additional maternal diabetes predispose the infant to potential adult disease through fetal programming. This review of the literature examines the effects of obesity on a woman's life, outlining complications beginning with preconception through the postpartum period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Hind N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Moussa
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Mesk A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Alrais
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Mateo G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Leon
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Abbas
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Baha M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Sibai
keywords: fetal programming; obesity; pregnancy; women