Weight gain between pregnancies linked to stillbirths and infant deaths

Swedish research shows women who put on weight after first pregnancy increase risk of stillbirth by 30-50% and likelihood of infant death by up to 60%

Women who put on weight after their first pregnancy are more likely to have a stillborn second child or a baby who dies within the year than those whose weight remains stable, new research shows.

A study carried out in Sweden confirms that the increased risk of the baby's death in the womb or within its first year of life is real in women who put on even a modest amount of weight - about 6kg (13lb) - between pregnancies. It affects all women, not just those who are overweight or obese when they get pregnant for the first time.