Obstetric behavior and pregnancy outcome in overweight and obese women: maternal and fetal complications and risks in relation to maternal overweight and obesity.

OBJECTIVE

To perform analyses of maternal and fetal complications in overweight and obese women.

METHODS

Eighty-seven women with singleton pregnancies with BMI > 25-29.9 kg/m(2) and 83 women with singleton pregnancies with BMI > 30 kg/m(2) were studied for maternal and fetal complications at Nehru Hospital, B.R.D. Medical College, Gorakhpur during June 2007-October 2008. Forty-five women with BMI 20-24.9 kg/m(2) were selected to serve as control.

RESULTS

Compared with women with normal BMI, the outcomes which were more common in overweight and obese women were gestation hypertension (p < 0.05); pre-eclampsia (p < 0.001); preterm delivery (p < 0.05); induction of labor (p < 0.05); instrumental vaginal delivery (p > 0.05); cesarean section (p < 0.01); increased operative time (p < 0.01); still births (p < 0.05); early neonatal deaths (p < 0.05); Apgar score < 7 at 5 min (p < 0.05); and admission to NICU (p < 0.001). No significant differences were noted among groups regarding hypoglycemia hyperbilirubinemia and respiratory distress.

CONCLUSION

Overweight and obesity are definite risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes. This may be due to altered metabolic state in obesity.