According to a recent study, overweight women have a higher chance of having a longer gestation period. The study also says that obese women are more likely to have induced labour and also a caesarean section.

The researchers studied 30,000 women who gave birth over a span of four years. The research was carried out by a team of scientists from Liverpool University and was published in British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

The scientists found out that one in three women were pregnant even after 10 days of due date as compared to their healthy counterparts.

The research revealed that more than one third of obese women had to undergo an induced labour as compared to one fourth of women who were healthy.

Lead Author of the study, Dr. Sarah Arrowsmith, from the University of Liverpool's Institute of Translational Medicine, revealed that maternal obesity results in a higher risk of having longer pregnancy and it is also becoming one of the common risk factors in obstetric practice.

Several recommendations have been published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence which motivate pregnant women to have a healthy weight .the guidelines also encourage women to shed the 'eat for two' mentality.