High maternal body mass index before or in early pregnancy is linked with an increased risk of stillbirth, says a novel study. Researchers from Imperial College London have found severely obese women having body mass index over 40 to be two to three times more likely to face complications.

"The main message of the study is that maternal overweight and obesity increases the risk of fetal death, stillbirth and infant death", affirmed Dagfinn Aune, study's lead author.

To reach at the conclusion, researchers gathered the data from 38 studies. After pulling together the data, researchers were able to have more than 45,000 accounts of child deaths taken place before or shortly after delivery.

It was found that even a modest increase in maternal body mass index was associated with increased risk of fetal death, neonatal death, perinatal death, stillbirth and infant death. Study researchers said they have also a weak, but significant increase even in what is considered as normal ranges of BMI. Researchers said that there are number of biological mechanisms that validate the association.

To cite a few examples, obesity or overweight status is associated with increased risk of preeclampsia, type 2 diabetes, gestational hypertension and congenital anomalies. It is very important for women who are planning their pregnancies that they should follow weight management guidelines, so, that the risk of fetal deaths, stillbirths and infant deaths should be reduced.

Further study is needed to know that whether changes in lifestyle and weight would modify the risk of fetal and infant death.