Teratogenic risks of treated and untreated maternal obesity.

Abstract

Untreated obesity in pregnancy is associated with adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes that influence the long-term offspring health trajectory, propagating obesity and cardiometabolic disease from one generation to the next. The current efforts to reduce the risk of these negative outcomes through preconception weight loss remain largely ineffective. Anti-obesity medications (AOMs) are an understudied option for this indication, likely due to the potential for teratogenicity with accidental exposure during pregnancy. However, the current recommendation to discontinue all AOMs prior to conception fails to frame obesity within the chronic disease paradigm typically used for preconception counseling. Evolving evidence suggests that glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), the newest and most effective AOM class, may be safe in early pregnancy. Although further research is needed, counseling about GLP-1 RAs during pregnancy should include the potential for both risk and benefit. This review summarizes the known risks that obesity in pregnancy poses to the offspring and discusses the benefits and limitations of current treatment strategies. While there remain several barriers to optimal preconception and prenatal care for people with obesity, this review aims to arm providers with the knowledge needed for patient-centered counseling prior to and during pregnancy.