title: The association between body mass index and preeclampsia: a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several observational studies have reported a positive association between elevated body mass index (BMI) and preeclampsia, but no meta-analysis has been conducted yet. This meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the overall association between overweight or obesity and preeclampsia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Major electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched until August 2015. The reference lists of included studies were screened as well. Epidemiological studies addressing the association between BMI and preeclampsia were enrolled. The heterogeneity across studies was explored by Q-test and I(2) statistic. The possibility of publication bias was assessed using Begg's and Egger's tests. The results were reported using odds ratio (OR) estimate with its 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a random-effects model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified a total of 1298 references and included 23 studies with 1 387 599 participants. Preeclampsia was associated with overweight (OR = 1.73; 95% CI: 1.59, 1.87; 21 studies; I(2 )=( )62.3%) and obesity (OR = 3.15; 95% CI: 2.96, 3.35; 22 studies; I(2 )=( )36.0%). There was no evidence of publication bias.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is sufficient evidence that excess body mass index is significantly associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia. Therefore, overweight and obesity can be considered as a predictor of preeclampsia.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Epidemiology , Research Center for Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences , Hamadan , Iran and.|b Department of Midwifery , Toyserkan Branch, Islamic Azad University , Toyserkan , Iran.
authors.forename: Jalal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Poorolajal
authors.affiliation: a Department of Epidemiology , Research Center for Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences , Hamadan , Iran and.|b Department of Midwifery , Toyserkan Branch, Islamic Azad University , Toyserkan , Iran.
authors.forename: Ensiyeh
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jenabi
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D016017:Odds Ratio; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000209:etiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Body Mass Index; obesity; overweight; preeclampsia