Effects of gestational weight gain and body mass index on obstetric outcome

Abstract It is already known that maternal overweight, obesity, and morbid obesity are associated with adverse obstetric and neonatal outcomes. To assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity, and the impact of body mass index (BMI) on maternal and neonatal outcomes in Turkey. The study population consisted of 698 singleton pregnancies whose height and weight follow up were performed from the first trimester of pregnancy and whose deliveries were monitored in Trabzon, Turkey in July 2014–June 2015. The data obtained during the study were evaluated using SPSS 21 package program. The differences in variables were assessed by Chi-square-test for categorical data or by One-way Anova test for continuous data. The results were evaluated at a confidence interval of 95% and at a significance level of p < 0.05. According to the BMI of the women in the study, 68.8% were in normal weight, 20.6% were overweight, 3.9% were obese, and the majority was in the 20–29 age group and 8–15.9 kg. The rate of cesarean, instrumental delivery, induction, episiotomy, late breastfeeding, low apgar (<7 at 5 min), neonatal intensive care unit admission requirement, the newborn at 4000 g or more in overweight (BMI 25–29.9) and obese (BMI ≥ 30) pregnancies was higher and the first and second phases of labor were longer (p < 0.05). The study showed that as the pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain increased the rates of cesarean section and interventional delivery increased and the neonatal need for neonatal intensive care unit increased.