Maternal obesity and pregnancy outcome.
BACKGROUND
Obesity, a common condition in developed countries, is recognized as a threat to health.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the distribution of weight in pregnant women and evaluate the influence of obesity on pregnancy outcome in a high parity northern Israeli population.


METHODS
The study included 887 women who gave birth in the Western Galilee Medical Center during the period August to November 1995. The patients were classified as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese according to body mass index. Maternal demographic, obstetric, and perinatal variables were compared. A control group of 167 normal weight women were matched with the obese group for maternal age, parity, and gestational age.


RESULTS
Obese mothers had a higher incidence of gestational diabetes and pregnancy-induced hypertension compared to normal weight mothers (5.4% vs. 1.8%, and 7.2% vs. 0.6% respectively, P < 0.01), a higher rate of labor induction (20.4% vs. 10.2%, P < 0.01), and a higher cesarean section rate (19.6% vs. 10.8%, P < 0.05). There was also a significant difference in the prevalence of macrosomia in the offspring (16.8% vs. 8.4%, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Obese pregnant women are at high risk for complications during delivery and therefore need careful pre-conception and prenatal counseling, as well as perinatal management.
Michlin
R
R
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Western Galilee Medical Center, Nahariya, Israel. meting@naharia.health.gov.il
Oettinger
M
M
Odeh
M
M
Khoury
S
S
Ophir
E
E
Barak
M
M
Wolfson
M
M
Strulov
A
A
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005320:Fetal Macrosomia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome