Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 26, 2025

Author Spotlight: Collecting the Brain and Serum from the Same Mice Fetus to Study Brain Tumor Development
05:44

Author Spotlight: Collecting the Brain and Serum from the Same Mice Fetus to Study Brain Tumor Development

Published on: May 17, 2024

692

Increasing Pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index and Pregnancy Outcomes in the United States

Oluwasegun A Akinyemi1,2, Resham Tanna3, Stella Adetokunbo4

  • 1Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, USA.

Cureus
|October 5, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Increasing pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) is linked to adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. This risk persists even after accounting for other factors, highlighting the importance of pre-pregnancy weight management.

Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Public Health
  • Perinatal Medicine

Background:

  • Rising rates of overweight and obesity in American women.
  • Normalization of increased body mass index (BMI).
  • Need for research on pre-pregnancy obesity and pregnancy outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the association between increasing pre-pregnancy BMI and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized US Vital Statistics records (2015-2019) for 15,627,572 deliveries.
  • Employed multivariate analysis to assess the association between pre-pregnancy BMI and maternal/neonatal outcomes.
  • Controlled for numerous maternal, paternal, and pregnancy-related covariates.

Main Results:

  • Pre-pregnancy BMI distribution: 3.36% underweight, 43.19% normal, 26.34% overweight, 14.73% obese class I, 7.23% obese class II, 5.14% obese class III.
  • Increasing pre-pregnancy BMI showed significant associations with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.
  • Adverse outcome risks persisted across all BMI categories compared to normal BMI.

Conclusions:

  • A strong association exists between elevated pre-pregnancy BMI and adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.
  • The increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in overweight and obese women is independent of traditional risk factors.
  • Highlights the critical impact of pre-pregnancy weight on pregnancy health.
Abstract

Keywords:
cesarean sectionclasses of obesitygestational weight gainmacrosomiaobesity preventionperinatal outcomespre-pregnancy body mass indexpregnancy outcomes

More Related Videos

External Cephalic Version: Is it an Effective and Safe Procedure?08:49

External Cephalic Version: Is it an Effective and Safe Procedure?

Published on: June 6, 2020

14.7K
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

27.2K

Related Concept Videos

Obesity01:24

Obesity

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in...
585
Regression Toward the Mean01:52

Regression Toward the Mean

Regression toward the mean (“RTM”) is a phenomenon in which extremely high or low values—for example, and individual’s blood pressure at a particular moment—appear closer to a group’s average upon remeasuring. Although this statistical peculiarity is the result of random error and chance, it has been problematic across various medical, scientific, financial and psychological applications. In particular, RTM, if not taken into account, can interfere when...
6.4K
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational01:22

Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational

Type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance, arises when the insulin receptors on cells lose responsiveness to insulin, diminishing the cell's capacity to take up glucose, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels. To receive a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a series of blood glucose tests are necessary to assess whether the blood glucose falls within normal parameters. If the result is out of the normal range, a patient may be diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic, depending on the...
2.7K
Pathophysiology of Diabetes01:20

Pathophysiology of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. The four categories of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, other specific types of diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility,...
1.1K
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV01:26

Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV

Stress often leads to unhealthy habits like smoking, excessive drinking, and overeating, which offer short-term relief but ultimately increase long-term health risks. These behaviors create a cycle that temporarily lowers stress levels but can result in severe long-term health consequences. Breaking these habits is essential to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and improve overall well-being. Three primary changes that support better health include quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake,...
56
Mitral Valve Prolapse III: Nursing Management01:19

Mitral Valve Prolapse III: Nursing Management

The nursing management of Mitral Valve Prolapse, or MVP, centers around patient education, symptom monitoring, and lifestyle modifications.Patient Education on MVP Diagnosis and Heredity: Nurses should provide comprehensive education about MVP, a condition where the mitral valve does not close appropriately during heartbeats. This education often includes the condition's pathophysiology, symptoms, and potential complications, like arrhythmias or mitral regurgitation. Though not fully...
30