Obesity and related pregnancy complications in an inner-city clinic.
OBJECTIVE
The study was designed to determine the prevalence of obesity and related pregnancy complications in an inner-city prenatal clinic.


METHODS
A retrospective review was conducted of the medical records of 281 women with no chronic diseases and who delivered singleton term babies during a 1-year period. The frequencies of various pregnancy complications, including pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, shoulder dystocia, postpartum hemorrhage, fourth degree laceration, intrauterine growth restriction, and macrosomia, were compared among groups of patients stratified by body mass index (BMI).


RESULTS
Thirty-four percent of patients had a reported prepregnancy BMI of > 26 kg/m2. Fifty-two percent of patients were obese (BMI > 26 kg/m2) when they registered for prenatal care, and 82% of patients had a BMI > 26 kg/m2 at the time of delivery. The incidence of birth weights of > 4 kg was significantly higher in women with a registration BMI > 26 kg/m2 (p = 0.026). Most of these macrosomic babies had mothers with a BMI > 29 kg/m2. Patients who required cesarean delivery had significantly higher BMI than those who were delivered vaginally (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Obesity was more common in our inner-city population than has previously been reported and was associated with an increased risk of fetal macrosomia and operative delivery.
Bowers
D
D
Department of OB/GYN, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD 21215, USA.
Cohen
W R
WR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008396:Maryland / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data