Frequency of Obesity, Associated Factors and Fetomaternal Outcome in Women Coming for Antenatal Care at Lady Willingdon Hospital, Lahore

Abstract

Background: Obesity is now taking the shape of an epidemic worldwide and is on the rise among women of reproductive age especially over the last 40 years. This happening has a major bearing on reproductive outcomes as per latest studies. During pregnancy and childbirth, obese women are more likely to develop fetomaternal complications than women with a normal body mass index (BMI). Objective: To determine the prevalence of normal weight, over weight and obese women among those presenting for antenatal care and to compare the fetomaternal outcome in different BMI categories. Patients and Methods Descriptive cross sectional study conducted from 29 October 2022 to 29 April 2023 at Lady Willingdon Hospital, Lahore. 200 subjects meeting the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study after informed consent. BMI was recorded and weight category assigned. All relevant details noted on especially designed performa. Data analysis was done using SPSS No. 24. Results: Prevalence of obesity in pregnant females was recorded as 25.5 %( n=51) and overweight women as 40.5 %( 81). A total of 200 females with an overall mean age of 29.9 ± 3.5 years were included in this study. The mean body mass index was 27.5 ± 3.9. The proportion of preeclampsia was significantly (p-value < 0.05) higher in obese women (31.9%) followed by overweight (22.2%) and normal women (15.6%), respectively. Likewise, the rate of eclampsia (22.8%, 13.6% and 8.3%), gestational diabetes (28.6%, 18.5, and 9.7%) and hypertension (27.7%, 16.1% and 11.4%) was also significantly higher in obese women followed by overweight women and normal weight women. In addition, a significant (p-value < 0.05) greater rate of C-section (41.5% vs. 35.8% vs. 14.4%) was reported in obese weight groups as compared to overweight versus normal weight women .The mean birth weight of new born was significantly higher in obese women as compared to overweight and normal weight women. Six (11.8%) babies born to obese women were macrosomic and only (1.3% and 1.5%) babies had macrosomia in overweight and normal weight women. APGAR score at 1 minute and 5 minute was significantly higher in normal weight women followed by overweight and obese women. The requirement of admission to NICU was statistically significantly higher in obese women (55.4%) followed by overweight (45.7%) and normal weight women (28.3%).Conclusion: Fetomaternal morbidity is significantly increased in obese and overweight pregnant females. Keywords: Pregnancy, obese, over-weight, prevalence, fetomaternal, outcome.