Maternal obesity and the risk of fetal acidosis at birth

Abstract

Background

Maternal obesity is a risk factor for multiple obstetrics complications and adverse outcomes. The objective of the study was to investigate the association between obesity (IMC >30) and fetal acidosis at birth.

Methods and findings

This hospital-based cohort study was based on 24,307 live-born infants in which maternal body mass index (BMI) information was available and delivered in the Granada north region during 2007–2018 from data of the Hospital Medical Birth Registry. Multivariate using logistic regression was performed to assess the association between fetal acidosis and BMI, crude, and adjusted odds ratio of fetal acidosis were calculated. p < .05 was considered statistically significant. We adjusted by maternal age, parity, hypertension, diabetes, and smoking habits. In the study population of 17,167 term live births, 518 infants (3.02%) had an umbilical cord blood pH < 7.10. The obesity rate in mothers with acidosis at delivery was 12.7%, but morbid obesity rate was 2.51% (adjusted OR 1.82).

Conclusion

This study strengthens the evidence that demonstrates that morbid obesity is an independent risk factor for fetal acidosis at birth.

Keywords:

• Acidosis
• Apgar
• birth
• maternal obesity
• pH

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).