Prepregnancy BMI: Weighing the Risk for Severe Maternal Morbidity

Excess risk was modest but statistically significant.

The U.S. obesity epidemic markedly affects pregnant women, but its consequences have not been well quantified. To explore the relation between prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and severe maternal morbidity (stroke, renal failure, sepsis, shock, uterine rupture, intensive care unit admission, and maternal death), investigators analyzed the outcomes of 743,630 singleton births in Washington state from 2004 to 2013. BMI distributions were 3% low (<18.5 kg/m²), 48% normal (18.5–24.9), 26% overweight (25.0–29.9), 13% obesity class 1 (30–34.9), 6% obesity class 2 (35–39.9) and 4% obesity class 3 (≥40).

Rates of severe maternal morbidity per 10,000 women were 172 (low BMI), 143 (normal BMI), 160 (overweight), 168 (class 1 obesity), 178 (class 2 o…

Reviewing Author

Robert L. Barbieri, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Robert L. Barbieri, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Prepregnancy BMI: Weighing the Risk for Severe Maternal Morbidity

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Reviewing Author