Impact of body weight on the outcome of pregnancy: A prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of body weight and body mass index (BMI) on pregnancy outcome. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 3026 pregnant women attending Bakhsh Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia between July 2017 and June 2019. They were classified according to BMI into normal, overweight, and obese, and were followed up until delivery. The normal group was used as control. Fetal indicators (gestational age at delivery, birth weight, congenital anomalies, Apgar score at 1 and 5 minutes, and admission to neonatal intensive care unit), and maternal indicators (cesarian section, incomplete placental removal, and blood loss volume during labor) were compared between groups. RESULTS: Prevalence rates of diabetes mellitus and hypertension were higher among overweight and obese women than women with normal BMI (p<0.001). Incidence rates of macrosomia (p=0.002), cesarean sections (p<0.001), incomplete and manual removal of placenta (p<0.011), and >300 ml blood loss (p<0.001) were higher among overweight and obese women than in women with normal BMI. CONCLUSION: Overweight and obese pregnant women are at high risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and need careful periconception, antenatal, in labor, and postpartum care. We also recommend weight control.