The influence of prepregnancy body mass index on labor complications.
BACKGROUND
To investigate the influence of Body Mass Index on the incidence of labor complications in a population of women with a normal pregnancy.


METHODS
From a local database, information on maternal weight and height was extracted concerning 4258 women who had an uncomplicated pregnancy. After calculation and stratification with respect to Body Mass Index, this was retrospectively related to labor interventions and complications.


RESULTS
High Body Mass Index was related to more oxytocin infusion and early amniotomy, but not to vacuum extraction or cesarean section. Primary inertia and, to a minor degree, cephalopelvic disproportion and secondary inertia were seen more often in women with high Body Mass Index.


CONCLUSIONS
Overweight (25.0<=BMI<30.0) and obesity (BMI>=30.0) are only weak predictors of labor complications, given a normal pregnancy. However, the heavy use of labor augmentation indicates that obese women should not be recommended to give birth in an ABC-clinic or at home.
Jensen
H
H
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Herning Central Hospital, Denmark.
Agger
A O
AO
Rasmussen
K L
KL
D015992:Body Mass Index; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005320:Fetal Macrosomia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007751:Labor, Induced / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies