Obese Pregnant Women and Fetomaternal Complications

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of maternal and fetal complication in obese pregnant women.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the outpatient department, labor ward, and postnatal ward in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences Jamshoro from January 2023 to December 2023. The study included a total of 292 pregnant women with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 kg/m2. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 23.0, calculating mean and standard deviation for maternal age, parity, and BMI.

Results: The study identified various feto-maternal outcomes, including gestational hypertension 46.9%, gestational diabetes 39.7%, assisted birth 39.7%, cesarean section 80.8%, macrosomia 26.71%, and stillbirth 8.22%. The rate of assisted birth was significantly higher in multiparous women compared to primiparous women. The rates of gestational hypertension, cesarean section, and stillbirth were higher in women whose BMI was between 25.6 to 30 kg/m² compared to those whose BMI was above 30 kg/m².

Conclusion: Our study finds that obesity significantly increases pregnancy and delivery complications for both mother and fetus. Higher BMI is linked to increased risks of fetal morbidity, maternal morbidity, obstetrical intervention, and macrosomia. Consequently, overweight women should be considered "high risk" during antenatal counseling and risk assessment.