Impact of first-trimester body mass index on pregnancy outcomes: observational study

The epidemic of obesity is gradually becoming a global health concern across all age groups. In pregnant mothers, overweight or obesity have been known to be associated with significant antenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, and neonatal complications. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between high maternal Body Mass Index (BMI) and adverse pregnancy outcomes. This was a longitudinal observational study done at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital between May 2019 and February 2020. Antenatal women with gestational age <12 weeks with singleton pregnancies were recruited for the study. They were followed up throughout pregnancy and postpartum to assess for complication during pregnancy, labour, and puerperium. A total of 568 pregnant women were involved in the study. Five hundred and fifty six (556) had complete data and were included in the data analysis. Of these, 169 (30.4%) had BMI of 30 and above while 387 (69.6%) had BMI<30. Women with BMI of 30 and above had significant (p<0.05) risk for development of complications in pregnancy. There is an obvious association between increased maternal BMI and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Public health implications of obesity are enormous for both the mother and baby during pregnancy and delivery. Preconception counselling and health education programs may be beneficial in order to maintain normal BMI in women of reproductive age.