The challenge of obesity

In light of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) predictions of more than 700m people becoming obese by 2015, what should be done to assist midwives in dealing with the challenges that this will undoubtedly bring?

The WHO projects that by 2015, approximately 2.3bn adults will be overweight and more than 700m will be obese. This means that more and more pregnant women will present to midwives as obese (that is with a BMI of 30 or more). Studies have shown that obese women are at greater risk of developing complications of pregnancy such as pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes. But what needs to happen to alleviate the pressures midwives will face? Is the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence remiss in not as yet drawing up guidelines addressing the issue?

To view the discussion so far and, if you wish, make you own contribution, click on the 'topic' heading below.