Authors

1 Zoraida de la Rosa Várez, 2 María Teresa Rivas Castillo, 3 Victoriano González Trujillo

Position

1 Matrona. Distrito Sanitario Metropolitano de Granada. 2 Matrona. Área de Gestión Sanitaria Sur de Granada. 3 Matrona. Gerencia de Atención Integrada de Alcázar de San Juan. Ciudad Real.

Contact email: zory_57@hotmail.com

Abstract

Introduction: obesity is a significant health issue and has been recognized as a risk factor for several diseases. World Health Organization (WHO) has selected body-mass index (BMI) for obesity diagnosis. In Spain, up to 29.26% of women of childbearing age are overweight. In pregnant women, obesity in early pregnancy has a direct relationship with maternal and fetal health, and has an impact on obstetric disorders development regardless of weight gain during pregnancy.
Purpose: to describe prevalence of overweight among women in two Basic Health Zones (ZBS, Zonas Básicas de Salud) in Granada province during early pregnancy.
To describe the relationship between weight at pregnancy beginning and development of the following obstetric disorders: miscarriage, high blood pressure disorders, gestational diabetes, and Cesarean section.
Methods: a literature search was carried out in databases Cuiden, Pubmed, and Cochrane Plus, for Spanish and English references published in the last ten years. A cross-sectional descriptive study. A sample of 211 pregnant women was included. Women were classified based on BMI at the beginning of pregnancy as follows: underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obesity. Our study was carried out in ZBS Pinos Puente and ZBS Íllora from February 2016 to February 2017. Women attending midwifery clinic were selected based on the following entry criteria: single fetus, first prenatal control before gestational week 11 including weight and height measurements, probable childbirth date from January 2016 to February 2017, and childbirth between February 2016 and January 2017. Exclusion criteria were preterm delivery and pregestational diabetes. A descriptive analysis using frequency tables was performed, and bar charts were used.
Results: data were collected during first visits (age, parity, and BMI) and at the end of pregnancy (development of obstetric disorders). The following data on obstetric disorders mentioned in literature as potentially related to obesity in early pregnancy were collected: miscarriages, high blood pressure disorders, gestational diabetes, and Cesarean section. Data were displayed in two frequency tables and a bar chart.
Based on collected data, this is a young pregnant population, with a similar proportion of nulliparous women and women with one or more children. 4.3% of participants were underweight, 46.4% had a normal weight, 29.4% showed overweight, and 19.9% were obese. Results on obstetric disorders were as follows: miscarriage rate was higher with increasing BMI; no relationship was found between weight and high blood pressure disorders; gestational diabetes was more common in women with overweight; and no differences were observed in delivery methods due to BMI.
Conclusions: women wishing conception or considering assisted reproduction techniques should be aware of the problems resulting from overweight during pregnancy. In all our cases, during the first visit, all participants were offered recommendations regarding appropriate weight gain based on their BMI, and advice on suitable diet and physical activity during pregnancy.

Keywords:

weight gain; complications in pregnancy; body mass index; Obesity; overweight

Versión en Español

Título:

Índice de masa corporal y su relación con la patología obstétrica

Bibliography