[Obesity and pregnancy].

UNLABELLED

The increasing frequency of preobesity and obesity in all age groups worldwide can be characterized as a pandemia. Obesity is a public health problem because it is a major contributing factor in the development of hypertension, heart disease, type II diabetes, osteoarthritis, respiratory problems and certain cancer. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY: To describe the prevalence of preobesity and obesity among pregnant women and to evaluate the impact of preobesity and obesity upon pregnancy and delivery.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

255 women, aged between 17 and 39 years old are conducted in the study. They have been admited to the Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University Hospital "St. George" Plovdiv for the period of for months /January- April 2005/. The data of the patients are obtained from their history of the disease and the dokument of the newborn. BMI was calculated before and at the end of pregnancy.

RESULTS

Preobesity and obesity are more frequent at more educated women, nuliparous women and women aged 30 years and more. Obese women had a higher frequency of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, macrosomia, and operative delivery. 33.33% (n=85) of the pregnant women start their pregnancy with abnormal weight or obesity. At the end of the pregnancy 72.94% (n=186) of them are in condition of preobesity and obesity.

CONCLUSION

As overweight and obesity are associate with adverse pregnancy outcomes, the attention of the obstetritian must be directed to so called preconceptual consulting in order to limit the gaining of wight upon the optimal limit before and during pregnancy.