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Relationship Between Prepregnancy Overweight, Obesity, and Preterm Birth in Puerto Rico

Stephanie M Eick1, Michael Welton2, José F Cordero2

  • 1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Health Sciences Campus 101 Buck Road, Athens, GA, 30605, USA. eick.steph@gmail.com.

Maternal and Child Health Journal
|January 9, 2019
PubMed

Insights

High prepregnancy body mass index (PP-BMI) is linked to a greater risk of preterm birth (PTB) in Puerto Rican women. This association remained consistent across regions and years in the study.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Health
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Prepregnancy body mass index (PP-BMI) is a key factor in maternal and infant outcomes.
  • Understanding PP-BMI's impact on preterm birth (PTB) is crucial for public health interventions.
  • Puerto Rico (PR) presents a unique demographic for studying these associations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between prepregnancy body mass index (PP-BMI) and preterm birth (PTB) in Puerto Rican women.
  • To identify PP-BMI as a potentially modifiable risk factor for PTB in this population.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective study analyzed 343,508 birth records in Puerto Rico from 2005 to 2012.
  • Logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for overweight and obese PP-BMI categories.
  • Stratified analyses examined associations by region and year within Puerto Rico.

Main Results:

  • Overweight (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.06-1.11) and obesity (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.14-1.20) were significantly associated with increased odds of PTB.
  • Combined overweight and obesity (PP-BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²) also showed a significant association with higher PTB odds (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.09-1.14).
  • These associations remained consistent across all regions and years studied in Puerto Rico.

Conclusions:

  • Prepregnancy body mass index (PP-BMI) is significantly associated with an increased risk of preterm birth (PTB) among women in Puerto Rico.
  • The findings highlight PP-BMI as a critical factor influencing PTB rates in this population.
  • Further research is recommended to explore these relationships in other Hispanic subgroups and among Puerto Ricans in the mainland United States.

Keywords:
Body mass indexEpidemiologyHealth disparitiesPre-pregnancy weightPreterm birthPuerto Rico

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