Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  1997 Oct;40(10):2168-2177.

The Relationship between Maternal Body Mass Index, Gestational Weight Gain Patterns and Preterm Birth

• Koh KS
• Park CH

Abstract

Objective
To examine the association between maternal body mass index, gestation-al weight gain pattern and preterm delivery, using Institute of Medicine(IOM) guidelines. Methods: We used data collected from 937 pregnant women delivered without comp- lications in Dankook University Hospital from December 1994 to October 1995. Results: The mean maternal weight gain was 12.9 kg. The mean maternal weight gain in the underweight group(BMI>19.8), in the normal weight group(BMI:19.8~26.0) and in the overweight group(BMI>26.0) was 13.5 kg, 12.6 kg and 11.5 kg, respectively. Compared to the IOM recommendations for total weight gain, we classified objects into groups of the Under-gain, the Recommended gain and the Over-gain. The Under-gain gr- oup was 3.23 times more likely to preterm birth than other groups;the odds ratio was 3.23 and 95 % confidence interval was 2.16~4.84. Pre-pregnancy body mass index was not associated with the increased risks of preterm birth. Conclusions: The results suggest that maternal Under-gain during pregnancy, but not pre-pregnancy BMI, was associated with the increased risks of preterm birth. Therefore, it is important to identify women, whose weight gain are inadequate to the recommended ranges and to encourage them to take adequate nutritional intakes.

Keyword

Gestational weight gain; Body mass indes; Preterm birth

MeSH Terms

Body Mass Index*
Female
Humans
Odds Ratio
Overweight
Pregnancy
Pregnant Women
Premature Birth*
Thinness
Weight Gain*