Abstract
The present study aims to understand to what extent obesity is related to adverse maternal, obstetrical, and neonatal outcomes in a Portuguese obstetrical population. A retrospective case-control study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics of a differentiated perinatal care facility. The study compared 1,183 obese pregnant women with 5,399 normal or underweight pregnant women for the occurrence of gestational diabetes, hypertensive pregnancy disorders, and preterm birth. Mode of delivery, birthweight, and neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) admissions were also evaluated. Mean blood glucose values were evaluated and compared between groups, in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy. Only singleton pregnancies were considered. The prevalence of obesity was 13.6%. Obese pregnant women were significantly more likely to have cesarean sections (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.0, p < 0.001), gestational diabetes (aOR 2.14, p < 0.001), hypertensive pregnancy disorders (aOR 3.43, p < 0.001), and large-for-gestational age or macrosomic infants (aOR 2.13, p < 0.001), and less likely to have small-for-gestational age newborns (aOR 0.51, p < 0.009). No significant differences were found in terms of preterm births, fetal/neonatal deaths, low birthweight newborns, and neonatal ICU admissions among cases and controls. Maternal obesity was significantly associated with higher mean blood glucose levels, in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy. Obesity is associated with increased risks of adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. These risks seem to increase progressively with increasing body mass index (BMI) class. Female obesity should be considered a major public health issue and has consequences on maternal-fetal health.
Highlights
The World Health Organization (WHO) considers obesity a worldwide epidemic and one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century
No significant differences were found in terms of preterm births, fetal/neonatal deaths, low birthweight newborns, and neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) admissions among cases and controls
Obesity is associated with increased risks of adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes
Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO) considers obesity a worldwide epidemic and one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century. 18 years old were obese.[1] In the same year, in Portugal, the prevalence was 21.2% and represented a 3-fold rise since 1975 (6.8%).[2,3]. The etiology of obesity is multifactorial and complex. Obesity is related to genetic predisposition, physiological changes to the endocrine system of the body, potential genetic contributions over generations, cultural beliefs, and socioeconomic issues.[4]. Obesity has a major impact on both morbidity and mortality. Obesity is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, dyslipidemia, and coronary heart disease. Obesity decreases quality of life because of associated mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression, and aggravated osteoarticular complaints.[4,5]
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