Heidrun Petursdóttir Maack
Affiliated Researcher at Department of Women's and Children's Health; Reproductive Health
- E-mail:
- heidrun.petursdottir_maack@kbh.uu.se
- Visiting address:
- MTC-huset, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14B, 1 tr
752 37 Uppsala - Postal address:
- Akademiska sjukhuset
751 85 UPPSALA
Biography
The incidence of obesity is increasing at an alarming rate and this epidemic has also reached the pregnant population of developed countries. Today, obesity is, by far, the greatest challenge of obstetricians. The challenge for clinicians within the obstetric field is three-fold; first, obesity is associated with a number of obstetric risks that may have fatal or long-term consequences for both mother and offspring such as preeclampsia, preterm birth, intrauterine death, and congenital malformations. Secondly, while the risk of having an obstetric or perinatal complication due to obesity is as high as 30%, the majority of obese women will have uncomplicated, normal pregnancies and deliveries. Hence, maternity health care needs to improve the risk assessment of obese women in order to identify those in need of surveillance and intervention.
My project is devoted to identifying biomarkers that would aid in identifying the obese women at greatest risk.

Publications
Recent publications
Early Pregnancy Waist Circumference for Prediction of Fetal Macrosomia
Part of Reproductive Sciences, p. 1072-1079, 2025
- DOI for Early Pregnancy Waist Circumference for Prediction of Fetal Macrosomia
- Download full text (pdf) of Early Pregnancy Waist Circumference for Prediction of Fetal Macrosomia
Waist circumference measurement for prediction of preeclampsia: a population-based cohort study
Part of American Journal of Hypertension, p. 200-206, 2022
- DOI for Waist circumference measurement for prediction of preeclampsia: a population-based cohort study
- Download full text (pdf) of Waist circumference measurement for prediction of preeclampsia: a population-based cohort study
Ultrasound estimated subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue thicknesses and risk of pre-eclampsia
Part of Scientific Reports, 2021
- DOI for Ultrasound estimated subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue thicknesses and risk of pre-eclampsia
- Download full text (pdf) of Ultrasound estimated subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue thicknesses and risk of pre-eclampsia
Obesity in obstetric care: Consequences and risk prediction
2021
Pregnancy in metabolic healthy and unhealthy obese women
Part of Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, p. 1640-1648, 2020
All publications
Articles in journal
Early Pregnancy Waist Circumference for Prediction of Fetal Macrosomia
Part of Reproductive Sciences, p. 1072-1079, 2025
- DOI for Early Pregnancy Waist Circumference for Prediction of Fetal Macrosomia
- Download full text (pdf) of Early Pregnancy Waist Circumference for Prediction of Fetal Macrosomia
Waist circumference measurement for prediction of preeclampsia: a population-based cohort study
Part of American Journal of Hypertension, p. 200-206, 2022
- DOI for Waist circumference measurement for prediction of preeclampsia: a population-based cohort study
- Download full text (pdf) of Waist circumference measurement for prediction of preeclampsia: a population-based cohort study
Ultrasound estimated subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue thicknesses and risk of pre-eclampsia
Part of Scientific Reports, 2021
- DOI for Ultrasound estimated subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue thicknesses and risk of pre-eclampsia
- Download full text (pdf) of Ultrasound estimated subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue thicknesses and risk of pre-eclampsia
Pregnancy in metabolic healthy and unhealthy obese women
Part of Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, p. 1640-1648, 2020
Maternal body mass index moderates antenatal depression effects on infant birthweight
Part of Scientific Reports, 2019
- DOI for Maternal body mass index moderates antenatal depression effects on infant birthweight
- Download full text (pdf) of Maternal body mass index moderates antenatal depression effects on infant birthweight
Ultrasound estimated subcutaneous and viscaral adipose tissue thickness and risk of pre-eclampsia
Part of Scientific Reports