Obesity is now epidemic in many developed countries secondary to decreased physical activity combined with an abundance of cheap, high-caloric foods. Maternal obesity increases the risk of multiple adverse pregnancy outcomes including congenital anomalies, miscarriage, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes (GDM), fetal macrosomia, and stillbirth. Obesity also is associated with multiple labor abnormalities, including an increased risk of induction of labor, post-dates pregnancy, prolonged labor, labor augmentation with oxytocin, excessive blood loss at delivery, and cesarean delivery. Obese women who are delivered by cesarean are at greater risk of complications such as longer operative times, excessive blood loss, wound infections, and post-operative endometritis. Not only are large numbers of women overweight or obese prior to pregnancy, but many women gain an excessive amount of weight during pregnancy, thus compounding their obstetrical risks and making them more likely to retain weight postpartum.Read More