Pregnancy in a woman with extreme short stature and low body weight secondary to a collagen VI-related muscular dystrophy

Joseph O'Sullivan; Hifsa Mahmood; Ruth A Curry; Charlotte Frise

doi:10.1177/1753495X231219298

Pregnancy in a woman with extreme short stature and low body weight secondary to a collagen VI-related muscular dystrophy

Obstet Med. 2025 Jun;18(2):123-126. doi: 10.1177/1753495X231219298. Epub 2023 Dec 21.

Authors

Joseph O'Sullivan¹, Hifsa Mahmood¹, Ruth A Curry¹, Charlotte Frise²

Affiliations

¹ Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
² Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.

Abstract

Pregnancy poses significant physiological demands, and women of extreme short stature may be particularly at risk of complications. Described here are two pregnancies in a woman who was 130 cm tall with a body mass index of 12 kg/m² and the maternal and neonatal outcomes. The challenges encountered in the care of our patient included cardiorespiratory compromise, management of medication dosing, management of delivery and bleeding risk.

Keywords: Bethlem myopathy; Pregnancy; cardiorespiratory compromise; collagen VI-related muscular dystrophy; drug dosing; low body weight; short stature.