Maternal body weight and pregnancy outcome

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Perinatal Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Maternal pre-pregnancy body weight is a critical factor influencing pregnancy outcomes.
• Obesity rates have been rising globally, posing significant challenges to maternal and infant health.
• Understanding the specific risks associated with maternal weight is essential for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between maternal pregravid body weight and perinatal mortality.
• To identify the key contributors to increased mortality in offspring of mothers with higher body weight.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of a large cohort of 56,857 pregnancies.
• Evaluation of the relationship between maternal relative pregravid body weight and various pregnancy outcomes.
• Statistical analysis to determine the significance of observed associations.

Main Results:

• Perinatal mortality rates increased progressively with maternal weight, from 37/1000 in thin mothers to 121/1000 in obese mothers (p<0.001).
• Preterm delivery, especially before 31 weeks gestation, accounted for nearly half of the increased mortality.
• Acute chorioamnionitis was a major cause of these preterm births.

Conclusions:

• Maternal obesity is a significant risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes, particularly perinatal mortality.
• Preterm birth and associated infections like chorioamnionitis are primary drivers of mortality in offspring of obese mothers.
• Factors such as advanced maternal age, diabetes, congenital malformations, and dizygous twins also contribute to increased mortality risk.