STUDY OF THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN EARLY PREGNANCY BMI AND GESTATIONAL WEIGHT GAIN IN RELATION TO NEONATAL BIRTH WEIGHT

Introduction: Neonatal Birth weight plays an important role in infant mortality and morbidity, childhood development and adult health. Low birth weight is a significant risk factor for adverse health outcomes, including many childhood diseases, including the risk of type 2 diabetes and ischaemic heart diseases in later life. At the other end of the birth weight spectrum, macrosomia increases the risk of caesarean section delivery, delivery complications (i.e. shoulder dystocia) and subsequent childhood obesity1.

Aims And Objectives: To analyse the influence of early pregnancy BMI and birth weight To study the association between maternal weight gain in pregnancy and birth weight To evaluate the relationship between early pregnancy BMI and maternal weight gain.

Methodology: In the present study, 108 pregnant women with singleton uncomplicated pregnancy, booked at Government General hospital, Kadapa, by 12 weeks of pregnancy and delivering at term, were studied during the period of June 2023 to July 2024. The criteria taken into consideration for the study were as follows:-

Inclusion Criteria: Singleton uncomplicated pregnancy, booked for regular antenatal care by 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Exclusion Criteria: Those having Hypertension, Endocrinal problems, Multiple gestation, Preterm delivery (before 37 completed weeks), Any medical illness complicating pregnancy. This study is an observational correlational study with a sample size of 108. This was estimated using nMaster software based on the study by Line Rode et al June 2007, Association between maternal weight gain and birth weight. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Vol. 109, No.6, 1309-1315, considering the Odds ratio and Proportion of Low Birth weight among underweight women and the precision considered was 5% as Alpha error and 10% as Beta error.

Results:The study was done with 108 pregnant women with singleton uncomplicated pregnancy booked at Government General Hospital by 12 weeks of pregnancy for antenatal care, during the period of June 2023 to July 2024. The age majority of the women belonged to lower middle class 58.3%, with lower class being 18.5% and upper middle class being 23.1%. A very large correlation (r value = 0.707, p value 0.001) was noted between gestational weight gain and birth weight in the lower middle class.

Discussion: In the present study, 108 pregnant women with singleton uncomplicated pregnancy booked at Government General Hospital by 12 weeks of pregnancy for antenatal care and delivering at term, were studied during the period of June 2023 to July 2024. The mean age of women in the study was 24.89 years, with 73.1% being in the age group between 21-30 years.