Maternal Pre-Pregnancy Overweight and Obesity and the Risk of Cesarean Delivery in Nulliparous Women

Citation

Vahratian, Anjel; Siega-Riz, Anna Maria; Savitz, David A.; & Zhang, Jun (2005). Maternal Pre-Pregnancy Overweight and Obesity and the Risk of Cesarean Delivery in Nulliparous Women. Annals of Epidemiology, 15(7), 467-474.

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the effect of maternal pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity on the risk of term cesarean delivery in nulliparous women.
Methods: The authors examined data from 641 nulliparous women with a term pregnancy that participated in the Pregnancy, Infection, and Nutrition Study from 1995 to 2002. Unadjusted and adjusted risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed for normal weight (BMI 19.8–26.0 kg/m2), overweight (BMI 26.1–29.0 kg/m2), and obese (BMI > 29.0 kg/m2) women. Normal weight women served as the referent population.
Results: The unadjusted risk ratio for cesarean delivery for overweight women compared with normal weight women was 1.4 (95% CI, 0.97, 2.1) and for obese women compared with normal weight women was 1.4 (95% CI, 1.03, 2.0). After controlling for maternal height, education, weight gain during pregnancy, and labor induction, the adjusted risk ratio for cesarean delivery among overweight women was 1.2 (95% CI, 0.8, 1.8). The adjusted risk ratio for obese women was 1.5 (95% CI, 1.05, 2.0).
Conclusion: Our analysis confirms that there is a moderate association between maternal pre-pregnancy obesity and an unplanned term cesarean delivery. However, the risk is not as large as previously reported.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2005.02.005

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2005

Journal Title

Annals of Epidemiology

Author(s)

Vahratian, Anjel
Siega-Riz, Anna Maria
Savitz, David A.
Zhang, Jun

ORCiD

Siega-Riz - 0000-0002-1303-4248