There exists a direct relationship between weight and pregnancy. The heavier is a woman before pregnancy, the greater is the risk of pregnancy complications. Mother's weight plays a very important role in pregnancy. Overweight and underweight women have their respective share of problems related to pregnancy. Obesity has been linked with problems such as pre-eclampsia, high blood pressure and premature delivery. Not only does has it been seen as posing a risk for the mother, it can also result in complications for the newborn. Researchers at the Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, UK studied over 24,000 women, who gave birth between 1976 and 2005. Women were categorised into five groups - underweight (BMI < 20 Kg/m2), normal (BMI 20 - 24.9 Kg/m2) overweight (BMI 25 - 29.9 Kg/m2), obese (BMI 30 - 34.9 Kg/m2) and morbidly obese (BMI > 35 Kg/m2). Their obstetric and prenatal outcomes were analysed. The results indicated that increasing body mass index was related to increased incidences of pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, big baby, induction of labour and caesarean delivery. It was found that compared with normal-weight women, obese women were 50 percent more likely to have post-delivery bleeding and twice as likely to deliver prematurely. They were also more likely to need an emergency C-section or an induced labour. Morbidly obese women had the highest risk of suffering pre-eclampsia, a potentially serious pregnancy complication marked by a sudden rise in blood pressure and kidney abnormalities. In contrast, women who were underweight before pregnancy tended to have the lowest risk of all these complications. However, they were more likely than normal weight women to have an underweight newborn. Thus, problems related to pregnancy can be seen as working in tandem with a women's pre-pregnancy weight. By effectively managing pre-pregnancy weight, one can easily avoid pregnancy complications. Besides good prenatal care, counselling women on weight management is also equally important.
BMC Public Health ,
July 2007