12-INFLUENCE OF BODY MASS INDEX ON THE INCIDENCE OF PRETERM LABOUR

Abstract

Nutritional status of the women has been considered as an important prognostic indicator ofpregnancy outcome and risk of preterm birth. Few studies have evaluated the patterns of bodymass index in developing regions where malnutrition and poor weight gain as well as maternalobesity have significant influences on the pregnancy outcome. This study aims to show theeffect of pregnancy body mass index on the incidence of preterm labour.This is a prospective descriptive study of 200 women attended Basrah Maternity and ChildHospital who were diagnosed with preterm labour were recruited in the study. Patients wereclassified into categories that were based on their body mass index (BMI) according to thenational institute of health guidelines. Rate of spontaneous preterm birth were determined.Women with body mass index <19 kg/m2 had 34.5% of spontaneous preterm labour, with BMI19-24.9 kg/m2 had 28.5% of spontaneous preterm labour, while those with BMI 25-29.9 kg/m2had 21% of spontaneous preterm labour, women with BMI 30-34.9 kg/m2 had 14% ofspontaneous preterm labour and with BMI >/35kg/m2 had 2%of spontaneous preterm labour.Risk of spontaneous preterm labour tend to progressively decrease with increasing body massindex.Thinner women who have preterm delivery tend to deliver at earlier gestational age than womenwho were obese 42.3% of non obese women deliver before 30 weeks of gestation compared to25% of the obese, 44% of non obese deliver at gestational age 30-40 weeks compared to 28.25of the obese.In conclusion, high body mass index is associated with a lower rate of spontaneous pretermbirth.