Obesity is a significant health issue for women during pregnancy and childbirth, with estimates suggesting that 35% of women aged between 25 and 35 years are overweight or obese. More recent data suggests that approaching 50% of women enter pregnancy with a body mass index greater than 25kg/m². There are well documented risks associated with obesity during pregnancy and childbirth, maternal complications including hypertensive conditions and pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, infection, thromboembolic events, need for induction of labour, caesarean section and perinatal death. Infants of mothers who are overweight or obese are more likely to be macrosomic, require admission to the neonatal intensive care unit, be born preterm, be identified with a congenital anomaly, and to require treatment for jaundice or hypoglycaemia. While there is an extensive body of literature related to defining the problems and potential complications associated with obesity during pregnancy and childbirth, there is more limited information available related to effective interventions that may be implemented to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.

This presentation will focus on maternal diet during pregnancy and the impact on neonatal outcomes.