Retrospective cohort study of the effects of obesity in early pregnancy on maternal weight gain and obstetric outcomes in an obstetric population in Africa

Figures & data

Table 1 Comparison of demographic characteristicsa

Sociodemographic variable	Obese n = 324	Normal n = 324	P-value
Age group (matched criterion)			0.79
10–20 years	26	30
21–30 years	228	225
31–40 years	64	60
41–50 years	6	9
Occupation			0.00*
Unemployed	90	69
Crafts	18	89
Civil servant/teacher	66	48
Student	57	34
Farmer	3	6
Trader	81	72
Professional	9	6
Educational status			0.00*
University degree	75	39
Undergraduate student	6	21
Diploma/higher diploma	54	123
Senior secondary certificate	24	30
Junior secondary certificate	123	87
Primary school certificate	36	15
Marital status			0.70
Married	320	321
Single	4	3
Residence			0.00*
Urban dweller	219	108
Rural dweller	105	216
Parity group (matched criterion)			0.85
Parous	246	244
Nulliparous	78	80

Notes:

* Statistically significant;

a pooled data from the three tertiary hospitals.

Table 2 Comparison of obstetric outcomes between obese and healthy-weight women

Complication	Proportion in obese women (%)	Proportion in healthy-weight women (%)	Odds ratio	95% confidence interval
Premature rupture of membrane	13	3.6	2.36	1.12–5.04
Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia	7.6	2.7	2.31	1.72–4.48
Antepartum hemorrhage	5.4	1.2	2.78	1.02–7.93
Gestational diabetes	1.8	0.03	4.28	1.62–11.74
Cesarean delivery	37	18.1	4.3	1.2–5.44
Postpartum hemorrhage	4.8	2.3	2.2	1.18–5.2
Fetal macrosomia	42.1	18.5	4.08	1.06–8.41
Severe birth asphyxia	5.45	1.2	2.8	1.1–6.63
Newborn intensive care admission	8.7	4.0	1.18	1.0–3.29

Table S1 New recommendations from the Institute of Medicine for total weight gain during pregnancy according to prepregnancy BMI*

Prepregnancy BMI	Recommended total weight gain (kg)
Underweight (<18.5 kg/m^2)	12.5–18
Normal weight (18.5–24.9 kg/m^2)	11.5–16
Overweight (25–29.9 kg/m^2)	7–11.5
Obese (≥30.0 kg/m^2)	5–9

Note:

* Based on 2009 recommendations.

Abbreviation: BMI, body mass index.