[Influence of maternal weight on pregnancy outcome in Cotonou (Benin)].
To evaluate prevalence of obesity in pregnant women in Cotonou and to study the influence of obesity on pregnancy outcome, we analysed retrospectively obstetrical reports of 323 women delivered at the university clinic of gynecology and obstetrics during the year 1999. Prevalence of obesity was 18% among pregnant women and 30.6% of them were overweight. Medical complications of pregnancy were more frequent in obese women than in women with normal weight since obese women showed higher frequency of proteinuria (241% versus 10,5%, p<0.05) and high blood pressure (25.9% versus 4.5%, p<0.001). Diabetes mellitus was only present in obese women with a frequency of 5,2%. Compared with normal weight women, the obese ones showed a tendency to higher frequency of cesarean delivery (34.5% versus 21%), this difference being not statistically significant. Although there was a slightly higher number of reanimated infants in obese women, the difference was not significant. Six percent hypotrophic infants were observed in obese mothers versus 13.1% in mothers with normal weight (non significant) but it can be noticed that lean mothers showed statistically higher frequency of hypotrophic infants than normal weight mothers (33.3% versus 13.1%, p<0.01). This study shows that obesity in women represents, even in developing country, an obstetrical risk factor leading to high frequency of complications during pregnancy and needs the development of preventive actions.
Djrolo
F
F
Département de Médecine Interne, Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, BP 188, Cotonou, France.
Megnigbeto Obey
A
A
De Souza
J
J
Takpara
I
I
Santos
P
P
Alihonou
E
E
D000328:Adult; D001541:Benin / Q000453:epidemiology; D001724:Birth Weight; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies