article · Cureus
This cohort study investigated the association between Body Mass Index (BMI) and Gestational Weight Gain (GWG) with foetomaternal outcomes, and their accuracy in predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes. Researchers analysed data from 231 pregnant women in Lagos, Nigeria, over three years. The findings indicated that BMI was associated with an increased incidence of maternal mortality, foetal macrosomia (birth weight over 4 kg), and stillbirths. Conversely, GWG showed no significant association with any of the measured outcomes. Both BMI and GWG were found to be poor predictors of adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, the study concluded that underweight and obese pregnant women should be considered high-risk due to a higher incidence of specific complications.
Understanding how a pregnant woman's weight before and during pregnancy relates to health risks for both mother and baby is crucial. This research helps clarify which weight indicators are most useful for identifying high-risk pregnancies, potentially guiding better care and interventions to improve maternal and foetal health outcomes.
The abstract indicates that BMI and GWG are poor predictors of adverse pregnancy outcomes, suggesting that current predictive models based solely on these factors may be insufficient. However, it highlights that underweight and obese pregnant women are at higher risk for specific complications. This information could inform the development of improved risk assessment tools or clinical guidelines for antenatal care, particularly for identifying high-risk groups. It is early-stage research providing insights for clinical practice and tool development.
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INTRODUCTION: Both body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) may play a significant role in predicting events that could impact maternal and foetal health. OBJECTIVES: We determined the association between BMI and GWG versus foetomaternal outcomes and their accuracy in predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes. METHODOLOGY: A cohort study of 231 pregnant women with a singleton foetus at ≤20 weeks of gestation, who received antenatal care and delivery at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria, over three years between August 1, 2019, and July 31, 2022 was conducted. Data was extracted from case notes. The exposures were BMI and GWG, while the outcomes were the incidence of foetomaternal complications. Associations between categorical variables were determined using the chi-square test, and the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine accuracy. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 32.7 ± 5.4 years. BMI was found to be associated with an increased incidence of maternal mortality (p = 0.006), foetal macrosomia (defined as birth weight >4 kg, p = 0.001), and stillbirths (p = 0.008). Conversely, GWG showed no significant association with any of the outcome measures (p > 0.05). Both BMI, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.547 (95% CI: 0.472-0.723), and GWG, with an AUC of 0.561 (95% CI: 0.487-0.635), were not meaningful predictors of adverse pregnancy outcomes. CONCLUSION: BMI and GWG are poor predictors of adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, underweight and obese pregnant women should be considered high-risk because of a higher incidence of stillbirth, foetal macrosomia, and maternal death.
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DOI: 10.7759/cureus.93684
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