Obese mums’ lives at risk

RAPIDLY rising obesity in Queensland is leading to more deaths of pregnant women and an increase in birth defects.

There are concerns the Sunshine State may be headed down the same path as the US, where maternal mortality rates more than doubled from 1987 to 2009.

Obesity is now Queensland’s biggest preventable killer and informal data suggests an alarming increase in obesity- related maternal morbidity.

Queensland Health will start collecting statistics to help address the problem.

‘‘Queensland Health must now be notified if any woman dies while she is pregnant, or within 365 days of her pregnancy,’’ Queensland Health Minister Lawrence Springborg said.