High BMI(Obesity and Overweight) as a risk factor for increased incidence of miscarriage in pregnant women attending Emergency Department in Al- Batool Maternity

Abstract

Background:Obesity has been known to be an obstetric risk factor because of the documented complications associated with it , and it is an indication for booking in a tertiary health institution.

Objective: To find if there is relation between high BMI (obesity or overweight) and risk of miscarriage.

Patients and Methods: This study was done in Al-Batool Maternity Teaching Hospital in Baquba City/ Diyala  during the period from 1st of  July 2016 to 28th of  February 2017.  Total number of  2500 were admitted during period of study, 105 of them fit inclusion criteria (pregnant for ≤ 22 weeks of gestation and had signs and symptoms of miscarriage), divided into two groups (70 pregnant with high BMI women and 35 with normal BMI as control women), the two groups were matched for age and  parity. Different parameters used to compare the risk of miscarriage between obese and control groups .

Results: Mean ages were  (25.02 ± 5.78) years and (25.8 ± 5.83) for both high BMI group and control group respectively. Higher incidence of miscarriage was observed in high BMI women who living in urban area than control women living in the same area (57.1 % ) , (37.1 % ) respectively, and most of cases were house wives with high BMI  (95.7 %) while (85.7 %) was  control group . Although  the  incidence of miscarriage was higher during the second trimester in high BMI women than control women but it is not statistically significant  . This study shows no significant increase of miscarriage in a women with a previous history of miscarriage between high BMI group and control group . 

Conclusion: High BMI pregnant women who lived in urban area had statistically significant increase risk of miscarriage, so good preconception care for those women to decrease their weight prior to pregnancy to avoid this complication  .

Key words: BMI, Miscarriage, Urban area.