Gestational weight gain and pregnancy outcome in women with excessive pre-pregnancy body mass index

Aim: To evaluate the effects of gestational weight gain on perinatal outcomes in woman with excessive pre-gravid body mass index.

Material and Methods: The study group consisted of 197 overweight or obese women who delivered full-term newborns at the 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw. Group A included 89 (45.2%) women with inadequate or adequate weight gain. Group B included 108 patients (54.8%) with excessive weight gain during pregnancy.

Results: No significant differences in the occurrence of gestational diabetes, hypertension or intrahepatic cholestasis between the analyzed groups were observed. Excessive weight gain was positively correlated with the incidence of cesarean delivery (67.6% vs 32.4%, p=0.009), newborns’ birthweight (3627g±519 vs 3406g±521, p=0.009) and the risk of low for gestational age infants (26.9% vs 12.4%, p=0.01). The highest risk of low for gestational age new born was related to gestational weight gain of about 15 kg. Appropriate preconception counselling for overweight and obese women may reduce the risk of low for gestational age infants.