Impact of maternal body mass index on pregnancy outcomes among Indian women

Maternal body mass index is a key factor that essentially regulates pregnancy outcome with respect to maternal and neonatal health. Maternal bodies, whether underweight or obese during pregnancy, can significantly increase the risk of adverse outcomes for both mothers and newborns. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate the impact of maternal BMI on pregnancy outcomes and feto-maternal complications related to various BMI categories in a tertiary care setting. Hence, we recruited 250 pregnant women and divided them into five subgroups based on their BMI. We collected data on pregnancy complications, modes of delivery and maternal and neonatal outcomes. We performed tests of significance between categories of BMI and clinical outcomes. Percentage distribution by BMI: normal weight 49.2%, underweight 28.4%, overweight 15.6%, obese 6% and morbidly obese 0.8%. There was significant variability in higher BMI with incidences of caesarean section, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, and NICU admissions. Anaemia rates were higher in underweight women, whereas pregnancy and childbirth-related complications like PPH and macrosomia were more pronounced in obese women. Severe extremes in BMI are associated with drastic adverse consequences, both for maternal and neonatal outcomes. Effective weight management is therefore key to achieving favourable pregnancy outcomes. Low BMI increases the risk of preterm birth and anaemia; high BMI raises the risk of gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders. Key strategies include preconception counselling, tailored nutrition and physical activity.