Impact of pre-pregnancy maternal body mass index on obstetric outcomes

Background: Maternal health is crucial in reproductive medicine and understanding the impact of pre-pregnancy maternal body mass index (BMI) on obstetric outcomes is essential for optimizing maternal and neonatal health. To assess the obstetric outcomes in relation to the various categories of pre-pregnancy BMI. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted from 2022-2024 at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Chennai, with a sample size of 3032 pregnant women and their pre-pregnancy BMI and other detail were collected. Results: Most were aged between 26-35 years. Normal BMI was observed in 54.2% of women, followed by 31% overweight and 3.9% obese. Antenatal complications, such as gestational hypertension and diabetes, were more prevalent in overweight and obese groups. Intrapartum complications like induction of labor and caesarean sections were higher among these groups. Postpartum complications, including haemorrhage and sepsis, were more common in obese women. Similarly, foetal complications were prevalent in these groups. Conclusions: Pre-pregnancy BMI significantly affects obstetric outcomes, with overweight and obese women experiencing higher rates of complications. This underscores the importance of managing maternal weight before and during pregnancy to improve outcomes for both mother and child.