Pregnancy complications and outcomes among overweight and obese nulliparous women.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the associations between prepregnancy weight and the risk of pregnancy complications and adverse outcomes among nulliparous women.


METHODS
We conducted a population-based cohort study with 96,801 Washington State birth certificates from 1992 to 1996. Women were categorized by body mass index. Multivariate logistic regression was performed.


RESULTS
The rate of occurrence of most of the outcomes increased with increasing body mass index category. Compared with lean women, both overweight and obese women had a significantly increased risk for gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, eclampsia, cesarean delivery, and delivery of a macrosomic infant.


CONCLUSIONS
Among nulliparous women, not only prepregnancy obesity but also overweight increases the risk of pregnancy complications and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, 325 Ninth Ave, Box 359909, Seattle, WA 98104-2499, USA. jbaeten@u.washington.edu
J M
JM
Baeten
E A
EA
Bukusi
M
M
Lambe
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002585:Cesarean Section; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000209:etiology; D004461:Eclampsia / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005320:Fetal Macrosomia / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010298:Parity; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012307:Risk Factors