Pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity prevalence and relation to maternal and perinatal outcomes

Abstract

Objective: To identify the prevalence of pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity in pregnant women and its relationship with socio-demographic factors and to describe the maternal and perinatal outcomes in a Barcelona hospital (Spain).

Method: A descriptive cross-association study, with retrospective data collection, was performed Barcelona Hospital. The data of 5447 pregnant women who delivered at >=23 weeks of gestation were included. Body Mass Index (BMI) data were categorised into World Health Organization classifications. p values <.05 (two-tailed) were considered significant. Logistic regression models were performed.

Results: The prevalence of pre-pregnancy obesity was 8.4% and 18.9% for overweight. Gestational diabetes was more frequent in pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity (OR 1.92: 95% CI 1.54-2.40 and OR 3.34: 95% CI 2.57-4.33), as were preeclampsia (OR 2.08: 95% CI 1.55-2.79 and OR 3.35: 95% CI 2.38-4.71), induction of labour (OR 1.19: 95% CI 1.02-1.38 and OR 1.94: 95% CI 1.57-2.10), caesarean section (OR 1.41: 95% CI 1.21-1.65 and OR 2.68: 95% CI 2.18-3.29), prematurity (OR 1.28: 95% CI 1-1.65 and OR 1.79: 95% CI 1.32-2.44) and macrosomia (OR 1.87: 95% CI 1.43-2.46 and OR 2.03: 95% CI 1.40-2.93).

Conclusions: One in four pregnant women had pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity. This study shows the relationship between pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity with adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes.

Keywords: Body Mass Index; Complicaciones en el embarazo; Embarazo; Obesidad; Obesity; Overweight; Pregnancy; Pregnancy complications; Sobrepeso; Índice de masa corporal.