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Prepregnancy maternal body mass index and preterm delivery
Ali Khatibi1, Anne-Lise Brantsaeter, Verena Sengpiel
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/East, Gothenburg, Sweden. ali.khatibi_esfangani@vgregion.se
American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
|July 28, 2012
Summary
Maternal overweight before pregnancy significantly increases the risk of preterm delivery (PTD). This includes both early and late PTD, highlighting the importance of prepregnancy body mass index for fetal health.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Public Health
- Reproductive Medicine
Background:
- Preterm delivery (PTD) is a major global health concern, associated with significant neonatal morbidity and mortality.
- Maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) is a modifiable factor that may influence pregnancy outcomes.
- Understanding the specific risks associated with different BMI categories is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and the risk of preterm delivery (PTD).
- To differentiate the impact of maternal BMI on early and late PTD.
- To control for potential confounding factors including health and lifestyle variables.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study involving 83,544 pregnancies from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study.
- Preterm delivery (PTD) was categorized into early PTD (22-31 weeks' gestation) and late PTD (32-36 weeks' gestation).
- Statistical analyses were performed to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for PTD across different BMI categories.
Main Results:
- The overall prevalence of PTD was 5.1% in the study population.
- An elevated prepregnancy BMI was significantly associated with an increased risk of PTD.
- Women with grade-III obesity exhibited a substantially higher risk for both early PTD (aOR=3.24) and late PTD (aOR=1.81) compared to normal weight women.
Conclusions:
- Maternal prepregnancy overweight and obesity are significant risk factors for preterm delivery.
- The risk of both early and late preterm delivery increases with higher categories of prepregnancy BMI.
- These findings underscore the importance of achieving a healthy BMI before conception to reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
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