Maternal obesity and inpatient medication usage

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Maternal Health
• Pharmacoeconomics

Background:

• Maternal obesity is a known risk factor for increased healthcare resource utilization in outpatient settings.
• Existing research highlights the association between maternal obesity and various medical and obstetric complications.
• The impact of maternal obesity on inpatient medication usage, specifically during the antenatal and peripartum periods, requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare inpatient antenatal and peripartum medication usage between obese women and women with a normal body mass index (BMI).
• To identify specific medication categories and periods where maternal obesity influences inpatient drug administration.
• To assess the implications of these findings on healthcare costs associated with rising maternal obesity rates.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving 284 pregnant women, categorized by BMI into normal, overweight, and obese groups.
• Exclusion of women with diabetes mellitus through glucose tolerance testing at 28 weeks gestation.
• Retrospective collation of inpatient medication administration records from patient drug charts during the antenatal and peripartum periods.

Main Results:

• A trend towards increased antenatal medication usage was observed with rising BMI categories, notably in analgesics and antibiotics.
• No significant differences in peripartum medication usage were found across the different BMI groups.
• Maternal obesity was associated with increased inpatient medication administration specifically during the antenatal period.

Conclusions:

• Maternal obesity is linked to elevated inpatient medication requirements during the antenatal phase of pregnancy.
• The findings suggest potential increases in healthcare expenditure due to higher medication use in obese pregnant women.
• These results underscore the importance of managing maternal obesity to mitigate associated healthcare costs and resource utilization.