Effects of prepregnancy body mass index and weight gain during pregnancy on perinatal outcome in glucose-tolerant women.

Aim. - The aim of this study was to determine the effects of maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and weight gain during pregnancy on perinatal outcome in non-diabetic women. Methods. - The clinical records of consecutive women who had undergone a glucose challenge test (GCT) and then delivered in our university hospital between January 2004 and December 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. Prepregnancy BMI and pregnancy weight gain were classified according to the US Institute of Medicine guidelines (1990). Results. - Of the eligible 2225 patients, obese and overweight women had a greater percentage of macrosomic babies (17.7% and 8.9%, respectively) compared with normal weight women (4.5%). However, when considered according to weight gain during pregnancy, the results were statistically significant only for excess weight gain in the obese (OR: 8.3, 95% CI: 2.4-28.4) and overweight (OR: 2.9, 95% CI: 1.2-6.8) groups. Also, the surgical delivery rate was significantly higher in the obese vs normal weight women (56% vs 36%, respectively) although, in this case, there was no difference according to normal and excess weight gain during pregnancy (OR: 1.4, 95% CI: 0.7-2.6). Conclusion. - Overweight and obese women have an increased risk rate of macrosomia that can be limited by well-controlled weight gain during pregnancy. There was also a significantly higher rate of surgical delivery in the obese compared with the normal weight group that was, however, independent of excessive weight gain during pregnancy.