Perception Of The Impact Of Maternal Weight On Pregnancy Outcomes In Pregnant Women With Obesity

There are no studies evaluating pregnant women's perception of their own weight on pregnancy outcomes. We aimed to determine the self-perception of maternal weight during pregnancy among women presenting for routine ultrasound and assess the accuracy of perceived risk for adverse outcomes based on weight category. This is a cross-sectional survey study of 347 pregnant women evaluating their perception of the impact of their weight on maternal, fetal and ultrasound outcomes. Weight category based on body mass index (BMI) was calculated using self-reported height and weight. A sub-analysis of 307 participants who reported their pre-pregnancy weight was performed to address the primary outcome. Patients were further categorized into 2 groups: Group 1 or non-obese group (BMI < 30 kg/m2) and Group 2 or obese group (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2). Descriptive statistics and Chi-square analysis were performed. Most women [86.3%, (265/307)] reported that their weight would have no effect on the sonographer’s ability to detect fetal malformation, with Group 1 more likely to report no impact [95.1%, (215/226) vs. 61.7%, (50/81), p < 0.0001). Similarly, 91.5% (281/307) of women reported that their weight would have no effect on the risk of pregnancy related problems, with Group 1 more likely to report no effect [97.4%, (220/226) vs. 75.3%, (61/81), p < 0.0001). When asked regarding their risk for specific pregnancy-related adverse outcomes, 80.5% (182/226) of Group 1 and 45.7% (37/81) of Group 2 reported no increased risk for any adverse maternal outcomes (p< 0.0001), and 88.1% (199/226) of Group 1 and 71.6% (58/81) of Group 2 reported no increased risk for any adverse fetal outcome (p = 0.0006). Almost 2/3 of Group 2 underestimated their weight category. Although women in the obese category were more likely to report that their weight could increase their risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes, their perception remains inaccurate. There is a significant need for improvement of patient understanding and education regarding the potential for poor pregnancy outcomes associated with obesity.