Non-elective caesarean delivery due to ineffective uterine contractility or due to obstructed labour in relation to maternal body mass index.

Objective: To assess whether non-elective caesarean section due to obstructed labour and/or ineffective uterine contractility was associated with maternal body mass index (BMI).

Study Design: The prospective dataset from the Swedish Medical Birth Registry consisted of 233,887 nulliparous women with a spontaneous onset of labour categorized in six classes of pre-pregnancy BMI, who delivered in Sweden between, January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2005. The mode of delivery was classified as either vaginal or by caesarean section.

Optimal gestational weight gain for body mass index categories.

Objective: To establish optimal gestational weight gain for each maternal body mass index (BMI) category based on significant risk estimates of adverse maternal and fetal outcome.

Methods: The study population consisted of 298,648 singleton pregnancies delivered in Sweden between January 1, 1994, and December 31, 2004. The number of individuals in each weight gain class was compared with the number of individuals in all other weight gain classes in the same BMI group with regard to adverse maternal and fetal outcome.

Obstetric outcome of 6346 pregnancies with infants affected by congenital heart defects.

Objective: To evaluate whether pregnancies with infants affected by congenital heart defects are associated with adverse obstetric and perinatal outcome.

Study Design: In a prospective population-based cohort study from Sweden (1992-2001), 6346 singleton pregnancies with infants affected by congenital heart defects were, after suitable adjustments, compared to all delivered women.

Results: The prevalence of cardiovascular defects was 9.

Maternal morbid obesity and the risk of adverse pregnancy outcome.

Objective: To evaluate whether morbidly obese women have an increased risk of pregnancy complications and adverse perinatal outcomes.

Methods: In a prospective population-based cohort study, 3,480 women with morbid obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) more than 40, and 12,698 women with a BMI between 35.1 and 40 were compared with normal-weight women (BMI 19.

Maternal obesity and infant heart defects.

Objective: This study determined whether obese women have an increased risk of cardiovascular defects in their offspring compared with average weight women.

Research Methods And Procedures: In a case-control study, prospectively collected information was obtained from Swedish medical health registers. The study included 6,801 women who had infants with a cardiovascular defect and, as controls, all delivered women (N = 812,457) during the study period (1992 to 2001).

Chlorination byproducts and nitrate in drinking water and risk for congenital cardiac defects.

Drinking water disinfection byproducts have been associated with an increased risk for congenital defects including cardiac defects. Using Swedish health registers linked to information on municipal drinking water composition, individual data on drinking water characteristics were obtained for 58,669 women. Among the infants born, 753 had a cardiac defect.

Risk factors for cardiovascular malformation--a study based on prospectively collected data.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for cardiovascular malformation.

Methods: In a case-referent study prospectively collected data were obtained from original medical records. The study included 277 woman who had infants with a severe cardiac defect, and for each case two referents (medical records study) were included.