Body mass index: a true indicator of body fat in obese gravidas.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat in overweight/obese pregnant women (BMI >25) before and during pregnancy.


METHODS
Thirteen overweight women were evaluated longitudinally (prospective cohort study design) before conception, in early gestation (12-22 weeks) and in late gestation (31-36 weeks). BMI was calculated as weight (kg)/height (m)2, and percent body fat was estimated using hydrodensitometry with correction for residual lung volume.


RESULTS
The correlation between BMI and percent body fat before conception was r2 = 0.86 (p = 0.001). Furthermore, the correlation remained strong in early pregnancy, r2 = 0.84 (p = 0.001), but was less strong yet significant, r2 = 0.54 (p = 0.004), in late gestation.


CONCLUSIONS
In overweight women, the correlation between BMI and percent body fat remained significant during pregnancy. However, the correlation weakened as the pregnancy advanced.
Sewell
Mark F
MF
Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, MetroHealth Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44109-1989, USA. msewell@metrohealth.org
Huston-Presley
Larraine
L
Amini
Saeid B
SB
Catalano
Patrick M
PM
D000273:Adipose Tissue; D050154:Adiposity; D000328:Adult; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies