Australian Woman Delivers 13-Pound Baby Naturally; Health Risks Of Large Delivery
This January, a 31-year-old Australian woman gave birth to a 13 pound, 4-ounce baby — one of the largest born in Australia, and close to one of the largest born in the world. Babies have been growing bigger over the last 30 years, and though heavy babies are generally considered healthier, there is a point where infant weight can become a health risk.
Natasha Corrigan’s son Brian Liddle Jr. was delivered naturally after seven hours of labor, People reported. While bigger mothers will naturally give birth to bigger babies, according to Medical Xpress, there has been a 15- to 25-percent increase over the last three decades in babies who weigh over 8 pounds, 13 ounces, a condition known as macrosomia. However, bigger is not always better.
According to The Baby Center, the biggests risks associated with heavy babies are delivery complications, as bigger babies are more likely to have a more difficult time fitting through the birth canal. Their size raises the risk that they may hurt themselves while coming through, or seriously injure their mother on their way out.
"Any time that someone is delivering a baby, we have to be prepared for shoulder dystocia," said Dr. Clark Nugent, a professor of gynecology and obstetrics at the University of Michigan, Medical Xpress reported, explaining that shoulder dystocia occurs when the baby’s head makes it through the birth canal but the shoulder becomes stuck.
In addition, extremely large babies are at higher risk for low blood sugar and elevated blood count, two conditions that require further hospitalization after birth. The health complications of heavy birth weight can follow these children for a lifetime, raising their long-term risk of obesity.
What’s more, delivering heavy babies is also stressful on the mother. If the baby is delivered vaginally, they could seriously injure their mothers, cause excessive bleeding or even long-term nerve damage. The Baby Center reported that risk of giving birth to a heavy baby is greater in women who are obese, gain an excessive amount of weight during pregnancy, or among women who have already had a large baby.
As for the heaviest baby ever born, records show that a baby born in Canada in 1879 weighed 23 pounds, 12 ounces. However, according to the Guinness World Records, the baby was born to a mother who suffered from gigantism and was 7 feet, 11 inches tall herself. Unfortunately the infant died 11 hours after its birth.
See Also:
Told They’re Giving Birth To A Big Baby, Pregnant Women More Likely To Elect C-Section
Pregnant Women Gain Too Much Weight In The US, Risk Maternal And Infant Health: CDC