Edema in Pregnancy: A Common yet Understudied Maternal Concern

This study aims to assess the prevalence of lower-extremity edema among postpartum patients and identify potential associated risk factors.

A survey evaluating the presence of lower-extremity edema and potential risk factors was conducted among 52 patients across two hospitals in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and Mankato, Minnesota, for six months between August 1, 2022, and January 31, 2023. All participants were informed of their rights and provided written consent. All adult postpartum women were screened for inclusion. Exclusion criteria included communication barriers, active cancer, deep vein thrombosis, infection involving the pelvis or lower extremities, recent lower-extremity fractures, recent non-obstetric surgery, or current participation in experimental treatments. Data were collected using a paper-based survey. Logistic regression analysis was performed using BlueSky statistical software (BlueSky Statistics LLC, Chicago, IL, USA) to examine the relationship between edema and potential risk factors, including delivery type, pregnancy complications, and comorbid conditions such as obesity and chronic diabetes. Models were constructed with the dependent variable (presence of edema) regressed on selected independent variables (risk factors).

Of the 52 postpartum participants, 18 (34.6%) reported experiencing edema of pregnancy (EOP). Among them, 13 (76.5%) reported edema during both pregnancy and the postpartum period, 4 (23.5%) reported edema only during pregnancy, and 1 (5.9%) reported postpartum-only edema. Obesity emerged as a statistically significant risk factor for the development of EOP (p < 0.05).

This study identified obesity as a statistically significant risk factor for EOP. Although several other factors did not reach statistical significance, their potential clinical relevance warrants further investigation. Future large-scale, longitudinal studies are needed to better understand the multifactorial influences of maternal characteristics and comorbidities on the development of pregnancy-related edema.