ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Gazzetta Medica Italiana - Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2020 January-February;179(1-2):47-53

DOI: 10.23736/S0393-3660.18.04016-0

Copyright © 2018 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Obesity in pregnancy: a risk factor for perinatal complications?

Adriana VALCAMONICO ✉, Claudia MAGGI, Giorgia MAZZONI, Federica COLOMBI, Enrico SARTORI

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

BACKGROUND: To evaluate obstetric and neonatal outcomes in obese women compared with normal-weight women, who delivered in Spedali Civili di Brescia between 01/01/2016 and 31/12/2016.
METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study conducted on a group of 1974 patients who delivered from 01/01/2016 to 31/12/2018 in the Obstetrics Department of “Spedali Civili of Brescia”. Of these women, 210 were obeses (BMI>30kg/m2) and 1764 were normal-weight women (BMI between 18,5 and 24,9 kg/m2). We have compared the incidence of different pregnancy complications, of caesarean section, of post-partum complications and neonatal outcomes between the two groups.
RESULTS: The incidence of gestational diabetes and gestational hypertension is significantly lower in normal-weight women compared to women with BMI>30 kg/m2: respectively 6% vs. 28% (P value<0.001) and 1% vs. 6% (P value<0.001). Preterm birth, before 37 weeks of gestation, was more common in obese women (14% vs. 6%, P value<0.001). The rate of caesarean section in obese women was 45%, whereas in normal-weight group was 26%: this difference was significant (P value<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy in obese women must be considered as a high risk pregnancy. The best way to prevent complications in these pregnancies is to follow them from the beginning with a multidisciplinary team (gynaecologist, nutritionist, psychologist) and to inform the women about possible risks and about what is the better life style for them and for their babies.

KEY WORDS: Obesity, Pregnancy; Body Mass Index; Outcome assessment, health care