MONDAY, May 2 (HealthDay News) -- Obese pregnant women may have a harder time fighting off infections than leaner women do, new research suggests. Researchers tested the blood of 30 women who were about six months pregnant. Half were obese and had a body-mass index (BMI) of more than 30 prior to becoming pregnant, while half had a normal BMI of 20 to 25. Obese women had fewer immune system cells that fight infections -- including T-cells and natural killer cells, researchers found. Obese women also had an impaired ability to produce those cells.
