Abstract: Introduction: Nutritional status of pregnant women is one of the main modifiable factors affecting pregnancy and perinatal outcome. Both lean and obese women carry a risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes. An increasing BMI is associated with an increased incidence of pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, macrosomia, induction of labour and caesarean deliveries.
Methodology: It is a prospective observational study conducted in Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in a tertiary care centre extending from March 2017 to August 2017 (6 months). A total number of 300 cases who attended antenatal checkup outpatient Department were taken. All the cases were primigravida and booked patient in first trimester. Maternal and perinatal variables were also studied.
Results: Majority of patients in our study belonged to age group of 18 to 25 years. In present study, 2% cases had their socioeconomic status I and 7% II, 38%, 31% and 22% patients had their socioeconomic status III, IV and V respectively. In the present study, among the antepartum complications, the risk of GDM increased significantly with the increase in BMI (p=0.02). In our study the risk of PIH increased significantly with the increase in BMI (p=0.001). The mean birth weight of babies in this study increased significantly with increase in BMI (p<0.05). The risk of macrosomia increased significantly with the increase in BMI (p=0.04) in the present study.
Conclusion: Attempt should be made to prevent obesity in women of childbearing age and encourage weight loss to attain ideal weight before pregnancy with appropriate preconceptional counselling and dietary modification.
