Effect of pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain on perinatal outcomes

Objective: To analyze the effects of pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) and their relationship with adverse perinatal outcomes in pregnant Chinese women. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 3531 single pregnant women who received prenatal examinations and gave birth in the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University from December 2018 to June 2020 was conducted on the influence of pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain on perinatal outcomes. Results: Pre-pregnancy overweight and obese women had a higher risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), gestational hypertension, macrosomia, cesarean section and neonatal asphyxia than pre-pregnancy underweight and normal weight women (P<0.05). Inadequate GWG women were more likely to have GDM, preterm delivery and low birth weight infants than the women who were classified as having recommended and excessive GWG (P<0.05). Excessive GWG women had higher risk of cesarean section, gestational hypertension and macrosomia than the women who were classified as inadequate GWG and within the recommended GWG (P<0.05). Conclusions: Different pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG had different effects on pregnancy outcomes. Controlling pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG within a recommended range can effectively reduce the morbidity of maternal and infant outcomes and improve the perinatal outcomes.