Specialist clinic adapts pregnancy care to address changing needs due to obesity

The Centre for Reproductive Health (CRH)’s Professor Fiona Denison and her maternal health team recently appeared on BBC Breakfast showcasing the multidisciplinary care they offer to women carrying too much weight during pregnancy.

Based at the Metabolic Clinic at Simpson Centre for Reproductive Health at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, clinicians address a range of complex health issues associated with excess weight such as gestational diabetes, high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia.

Prof Denison commented “women who are obese often have complex health issues that one professional cannot care for.” Women who attend the clinic have a BMI (body mass index) measured greater than 30, which is classed as obese, a trend which is showing signs of increase.

Prof Fiona Denison BBC maternal clinic segment — Professor Fiona Denison at the Metabolic Clinic which runs every Tuesday afternoon from The Simpson Centre for Reproductive Health Outpatients Department, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. The Clinic is funded by Tommy’s. Image courtesy of BBC Breakfast.

The clinic is funded by The Edinburgh Tommy’s Centre for Maternal and Fetal Health and two attendees shared their experiences and benefits of using these services located in one place. A segment from the live BBC Breakfast show is available on BBC iPlayer until 19 July 2019, entitled ‘Pregnant and Obese the clinic trying to help’ .

This article was published on 9 Jul, 2019