Adverse outcomes of obesity on pregnancy

Abstract

Background and objectives:The prevalence of maternal obesity has increased in recent years. This study aimed to assess the impact of mothers being of an average weight versus obese ones regarding pregnancy outcomes and to evaluate the association between the body-mass index and the modality of delivery. Methods:A retrospective study was carried out at Erbil Maternity Teaching Hospital from March-2018 to March-2019. Three hundred and twenty-six (n=326) pregnant women were included and divided into two groups. Group one (171) women with a healthy body mass index (18.5-24.9 kg/m2) and group two (155) women with body mass index (>30 kg/m2). We compared the two groups for maternal and neonatal outcomes of pregnancy. Results: A total of 155 women were obese. More than half (57.9%) of the normal-weight women had attended the antenatal care clinics, compared with (45.2%) of the obese group. Gravidity, parity, as well as the number of abortions, were significantly higher in Group II. The average gestation- al age of women in the normal-weight group was 38.83 weeks, which was more significant in comparison with obese women. On the other hand, the weight of the neonates of the obese group was 3.82 Kg, which was significantly higher than in neonates (3.49 Kg) of controls. Further, the head circumference of the neonates of the obese group (35.92 cm) was considerably higher. Conclusions: Obesity carries significant risks to maternal and fetal health. Effective public, as well as primary healthcare strategies, are mandatory to prevent and manage this dilemma at early stages.