High Body Mass Index in Pregnancy - Its Effects on Maternal and Fetal Outcome

Objectives: To compare the antenatal complications, obstetric outcome and neonatal outcome in overweight women and women with normal BMI. Materials and methods: It is a prospective observational study. Subjects were selected from OPD and IPD for 6months in Government maternity hospital, Tirupati, using systematic random sampling technique after meeting the inclusion criteria. Their height, weight and BMI were noted and periodically followed on outpatient basis and results were analysed. Results: Age distribution is similar in both groups. Most of the subjects belonged to lower middle class group.9.7 % of women with normal BMI and 47.1 % of overweight women developed gestational hypertension/ preeclampsia. The incidence of gestational diabetes was 17.6 % in overweight women. The mean gestational age at which women developed diabetes was 30-31weeks in overweight women. Rate of induction of labor was higher in overweight women. The rate of cesarean section was 29.4 % (significantly higher) in overweight women. The mean hospital stay, both before (2.96days) and after (4.19days) delivery, was significantly higher in overweight women. The mean birth weight was higher (3.05kg) in women with normal BMI. No significant difference in neonatal death rates. Conclusion: Overweight in pregnancy is associated with preeclampsia/gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes. The rates of induction of labor, cesarean section and duration of hospital stay are also high in overweight women. This substantially increases expenditure and financial burden to the family