Pregestational obesity, maternal morbidity and risk of caesarean delivery in a country in an advanced stage of obstetric transition.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether pregestational obesity is associated with the risk of caesarean section in pregnant women living in a country in an advanced stage of the obstetric transition.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study. Data were collected from prenatal and hospital records. Pregestational obesity was defined as: body mass index, [weight(k)/height (m2)] ≥30, and caesarean sections were categorized as elective, emergency, or non-emergency/medically necessary. Biodemographic and sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric and perinatal pathologies, and maternal anthropometric variables were assessed. Chi-square and t-tests were used to compare qualitative and quantitative variables, respectively. Simple and adjusted generalized linear models were used to evaluate the association between pregestational obesity and caesarean delivery. Finally, population attributable risk was calculated. Data analysis was performed using STATA.v.14.0.

PARTICIPANTS

2309 pregnant women with a singleton pregnancy who gave birth at a public hospital in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Chile in 2015.

RESULTS

The prevalence of pregestational obesity was 21.4%, and the incidence of caesarean deliveries was 34.8% (33% of which corresponded to elective, 46% to emergency, and 21% to non-emergency/medically necessary caesarean deliveries). Pregestational obesity increased the risk of caesarean delivery (aRR = 1.46; 95%CI. [1.19-1.79] as well as the risk of elective (aRR = 1.74; 95%CI. [1.23-2.45]) and emergency caesarean delivery (aRR = 1.44; 95%CI. [1.03-2.00]). The population attributable risk of pregestational obesity for caesarean section was 32%.

CONCLUSION

Given the significant association between pregestational obesity and caesarean delivery, it is necessary to develop strategies to decrease obesity among women of childbearing age in order to decrease obstetric intervention.