Do normal-weight women pregnant with twins are at the lowest risk of developing preeclampsia?

Abstract

Objective: To determine the relation between preeclampsia (PE) and pregravid body mass index (BMI) in twin pregnancy.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of 542 women pregnant with twins.

Results: Forty-nine patients developed PE (9%). Underweight, overweight and obese women were at a higher risk of PE than normal-weight mothers. There was no linear (p = 0.7) but significant U-shaped relation between BMI and PE (p < 0.006). The lowest risk of PE development was related to BMI of about 23 kg/m².

Conclusions: Nonlinear relation between PE occurrence and BMI suggests that using homogeneous PE risks of BMI groups may be incorrect.

• Body mass index
• multiple pregnancy
• obesity
• overweight
• hypertension
• pregravid weight
• proteinuria

Acknowledgements

We would like to gratefully thank Wojciech Ananicz, Aleksandra Sierocinska and Pawel Bartnik for helping in data collection and doctor Zbigniew Lewandowski for helping in data analysis.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no declarations of interest.