Pregnancy Woes: Mother's Fat Weakens Baby's Immunity

Babies born to obese mothers are likely to have weaker immunity than those born to lean mothers, says a new study.

Pre-pregnancy maternal weight has a significant impact on the immune system of the newborns, putting such children at risk for potential diseases such as heart disease and asthma, the findings showed.

"A number of studies have linked maternal obesity - starting pregnancy with excess weight and gaining a lot of weight during pregnancy - to a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease and asthma in children," said lead researcher Ilhem Messaoud, associate professor at University of California, Riverside, in the US.