The effect of low body mass index on the development of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the relationship between low maternal body mass index (BMI) as calculated in the first trimester and the risk of preeclampsia and gestational hypertension.


METHODS
Patients enrolled in the First And Second Trimester Evaluation of Risk for aneuploidy (FASTER) trial were grouped into three weight categories: low BMI (BMI <19.8 kg/m2), normal BMI (BMI 19.8 - 26 kg/m2), and overweight BMI (26.1 - 29 kg/m2). The incidences of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia were ascertained for each group. Tests for differences in crude incidence proportions were performed using Chi-square tests. Multiple logistic regression was used to adjust for maternal age, race, parity, obesity, use of assisted reproductive technology (ART), in vitro fertilization (IVF), gestational diabetes, pre-gestational diabetes, cocaine use, and smoking.


RESULTS
The proportion of patients having gestational hypertension in the low BMI group was 2.0% compared to 3.2% for normal BMI and 6.0% for overweight BMI (p < 0.0001). Women with low BMI were also less likely to develop preeclampsia, 1.1% vs. 1.9% for normal BMI and 2.8% for overweight BMI (p < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
We found that women with low BMI in the first trimester were significantly less likely to develop gestational hypertension or preeclampsia than women with a normal BMI.
Belogolovkin
Victoria
V
Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA. Victoria.Belogolovkin@MSSM.edu
Eddleman
Keith A
KA
Malone
Fergal D
FD
Sullivan
Lisa
L
Ball
Robert H
RH
Nyberg
David A
DA
Comstock
Christine H
CH
Hankins
Gary D V
GD
Carter
Suzanne
S
Dugoff
Lorraine
L
Craigo
Sabrina D
SD
Timor-Tritsch
Ilan E
IE
Carr
Stephen R
SR
Wolfe
Honor M
HM
D'Alton
Mary E
ME
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015994:Incidence; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D050177:Overweight; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology