A Study on Maternal Weight Gain in Pregnancy and its Consequences on Maternal Complications and Pregnancy Outcome

Background: Objective: To observe the maternal complications and perinatal outcome in relation to maternal weight gain in pregnancy. Material & Methods: The study is a prospective study based on total 100 pregnant women, observed at the antenatal clinic and after admission in the maternity ward, after fulfilled the inclusion criteria of the study. We considered weight of pregnant mother 1st time attended in antenatal clinic at 1sttrimester as booking weight in place of pre-pregnancy weight in our study, as most of women were unaware their pre-pregnancy weight accurately. The health status of mother was assessed from recognized biochemical and haematological parameters. Result: Maximum range of booking weight 45 to 49.99 kg. Highest 46% of mothers weight gain is in the range of 5 kg to9.99kg. There is definite correlation between the birth weight of the newborn and maternal booking wt. In pregnant mother with low booking wt. (less than40 kg), the mean birth wt. is found to be low 2.43 kg and these with high booking wt. (greater than60 kg), mean birth wt. is found to be high 4.16 kg, significant correlation between the birth wt. of newborn and maternal wt. gain during pregnancy, incidence of low birth wt. (less than2.5 kg) both IUGR and pre-maturity is high among low booking wt. group (less than40 kg), incidence of low birth wt. (both IUGR & pre-maturity) is significantly high 33.33% and 16.66% respectively, when maternal wt gain in pregnancy is low (less than5 kg). Its incidence is reduced with increase of weight gain and it is nil when wt. gain is 15 kg or more. The gain in wt. in pregnant mother has definite impact in pre-eclampsia, foetal distress, increased rate of instrumental delivery and Caesarean section. Conclusion: The most important predictors of maternal weight gain is age of mother in the first trimester, pre-pregnancy body mass and parity in second trimester andage and parity in third trimester. Weight gain less than 90%, the IMO?s recommendation in the third trimester may serve as an indicator for identifying women at risk of delivery in peterm. Perinatal and maternal outcome can be improved by advising pregnant women to gain optimal weight.