title: Pregnancy rhinitis in Turkish women: Do gestational week, BMI and parity affect nasal congestion?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the cumulative incidence of pregnancy rhinitis along with prevalence in different trimesters and to find out whether gestational age, BMI and parity have any effect on pregnancy related nasal congestion.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the prospective protocol at the obstetrics outpatient clinic, 167 pregnant women were enrolled consecutively. According to exclusion criteria, 67 of them were excluded. Visual-Analogue-Scale (VAS), Nasal-Obstructive-Symptom-Evaluation (NOSE) scale and Discharge-Inflammation-Polyps/Oedema (DIP) scoring were utilized for diagnosis of pregnancy rhinitis. Besides, weight, length, age, parity and week of pregnancy were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total prevalence of pregnancy rhinitis was 17.17% and cumulative incidence was 38.89%. Our study revealed significant relation of NOSE score with both gestational week (r=0.474, p=0.001) and BMI (r=0.301, p=0.003). VAS score was significantly related with gestational week (r=0.409, p=0.001) and BMI (r=0.270, p=0.007). DIP score was found to be correlated only with gestational week (r=0.375, p=0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cumulative incidence of pregnancy rhinitis was 38.89%. Nasal congestion was significantly associated with BMI and gestational week. Patients should be informed about unfavorable fetal and maternal outcomes of pregnancy related nasal congestion which is triggered by obesity and excessive weight gain in pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Burak Ulkumen, Assistant Professor, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Celal Bayar University, School of Medicine, Manisa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ulkumen
authors.affiliation: Burcu Artunc Ulkumen, Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Celal Bayar University, School of Medicine, Manisa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burcu Artunc
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Ulkumen
authors.affiliation: Dr. Halil Gursoy Pala, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Celal Bayar University, School of Medicine, Manisa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Halil Gursoy
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Pala
authors.affiliation: Prof. Onur Celik, Professor, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Celal Bayar University, School of Medicine, Manisa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Onur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.affiliation: Dr. Nevin Sahin, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Celal Bayar University, School of Medicine, Manisa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nevin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.affiliation: Dr. Gizem Karaca, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Celal Bayar University, School of Medicine, Manisa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gizem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karaca
authors.affiliation: Dr. Meltem Demirdag, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Celal Bayar University, School of Medicine, Manisa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Meltem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demirdag
keywords: Incidence; Nasal congestion; Pregnancy rhinitis; Rhinitis