title: Body Mass Index and spontaneous miscarriage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We compared the incidence of spontaneous miscarriage in women categorised as obese, based on a Body Mass Index (BMI) >29.9 kg/m(2), with women in other BMI categories.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective observational study conducted in a university teaching hospital, women were enrolled at their convenience in the first trimester after a sonogram confirmed an ongoing singleton pregnancy with fetal heart activity present. Maternal height and weight were measured digitally and BMI calculated. Maternal body composition was measured by advanced bioelectrical impedance analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 1200 women, the overall miscarriage rate was 2.8% (n=33). The mean gestational age at enrolment was 9.9 weeks. In the obese category (n=217), the miscarriage rate was 2.3% compared with 3.3% in the overweight category (n=329), and 2.3% in the normal BMI group (n=621). There was no difference in the mean body composition parameters, particularly fat mass parameters, between those women who miscarried and those who did not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In women with sonographic evidence of fetal heart activity in the first trimester, the rate of spontaneous miscarriage is low and is not increased in women with BMI>29.9 kg/m(2) compared to women in the normal BMI category.
authors.affiliation: UCD Centre for Human Reproduction, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland. michael.turner@ucd.ie
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Chro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fattah
authors.forename: Norah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Farah
authors.forename: Mairead
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kennelly
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stuart
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011446:Prospective Studies