Obese women should limit weight gain during pregnancy to 10-15 lbs.

Obesity during pregnancy and delivery has become a major concern of obstetricians.

A study by The British Columbia Reproductive Care Program researchers, based at BC Women's Hospital, indicates that "... obese women face numerous risks of complications and adverse conditions, including a far greater incidence of gestational hypertension and diabetes."

Their conclusion is that obstetricians need to tell obese women they should limit their weight gain during pregnancy to 10 to 15 pounds instead of the 25 to 30 that doctors permit women with healthy weights, said delegate Dr. Terry O'Grady, a Newfoundland gynecologist/obstetrician, and a Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada Atlantic region representative who delivers about 200 babies a year.