Impact of Pre-Pregnancy BMI On Short-Term Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes:  A Cross-Sectional Study at Lahore

Maham Sultan; Kurrat ul Aaien; Shazia Tufail; Nilofar Mustafa; Javaria Ahmad; Humaira Tabassum

doi:10.37185/LnS.1.1.844

Maham Sultan Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Lahore, Pakistan
Kurrat ul Aaien Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Lahore, Pakistan
Shazia Tufail CMH Lahore Medical College Lahore, Pakistan
Nilofar Mustafa Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Lahore, Pakistan
Javaria Ahmad Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Lahore, Pakistan
Humaira Tabassum Bahria International Hospital Lahore, Pakistan

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.844

Keywords: Body Mass Index, Gestational hypertension, Perinatal care, Pre-Eclampsia, Pregnancy Outcomes

Abstract

Objective: To compare short-term maternal and perinatal outcomes in women with normal BMI (<25 kg/m²) and high BMI (>25 kg/m²).
Study Design: Analytical cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at CMH Lahore from April 2023 to February 2024.
Methods: The women’s BMI at the first antenatal visit was noted by patient records, and they were categorized first antenatal visit noted from patient records, and they were categorized as having a normal BMI (<25 kg/m²) and high BMI (>25 kg/m²). Maternal outcomes considered were pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, fever, prolonged surgery time, and postpartum hemorrhage. Perinatal outcomes considered were the mode of delivery, gestational age at delivery, duration of labor, APGAR score at 1 minute and 5 minutes, birth weight, birth condition, admission in neonatal ICU, neonatal mortality, and hypoglycemia. For data analysis, SPSS version 26.0 was used. The chi-square test was applied to evaluate the significance of the association between the variables.
Results: Out of 151 women, 102 (67.5%) had normal BMI and 49 (32.5%) had a high BMI on their first antenatal visit. Increased frequency of gestational hypertension (P = 0.021), pre-eclampsia (P = 0.0003), prolonged surgery time (P = 0.022), and macrosomia (P = 0.009) were found to be associated with high pre-pregnancy BMI.
Conclusion: The study emphasizes a strong association between maternal pre-pregnancy BMI with gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, birth weight, and surgery time. It also calls attention to the need for increased prenatal and perinatal care so that appropriate protocol can be established for women with high pre-pregnancy BMI.

How to cite this: Impact of Pre-Pregnancy BMI On Short-Term Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes: A Cross-Sectional Study at Lahore. Life and Science. 2025; 6(1): 28-35. doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.844