Obesity Increases Risk For Poor Maternal And Child Health Outcomes

Another reason to dissuade the fat from reproducing.

The growing number of obese pregnant women in the U.S. may be contributing to a record-high number of cesarean section births, as well as more birth defects and maternal and infant deaths, the New York Times reports. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in five women are considered obese -- having a body mass index of at least 30 -- at the start of their pregnancy. Women with a BMI of 35 of higher are considered very obese and are three to four times more likely to deliver their first infant via c-section than women of normal weight, according to a study by the National Institutes of Health's Consortium on Safe Labor.

And if they do, make them pay more since they cost more.