Epidemiology of underweight and overweight-obesity among term pregnant Sudanese women

Abstract

BackgroundThe increasing prevalence of obesity in young women is a major public health concern. Few data are available concerning the epidemiology of malnutrition especially obesity among pregnant women in the developing countries. A cross sectional study was conducted at Khartoum hospital during February-April 2008, to investigate prevalence of underweight, obesity, and to identify contemporary socio-demographic predictors for obesity among term pregnant women in Khartoum Hospital, Sudan. After taking an informed consent, a structured questionnaire was administered to each woman to gather information on educational level, age and parity. Maternal weight and height were measured and expressed as body mass index (BMI - weight (kg)/height (m) 2).FindingsOut of 1690 term pregnant women, 628 (37.1%) were primigravidae, 926 (54.8%) had ≥ secondary educational level (minimum of 8 years) and 1445 (85.5%) were housewives. The mean (SD) of the age and parity were 27.2 (6.3) years and 2.0 (2.1) respectively. Out of these 1690 women, 94(5.5%) were underweight (BMI of ≤ 19.9 Kg/m2), 603 (35.6%) were overweight (BMI of 25 - 29.9 Kg/m2) and 328 (19.4%) were obese (BMI of ≥ 30 Kg/m2).In multivariate analyses, obesity was positively associated with age (OR = 1.2, 95% CI = 1.0-1.1; P< 0.001), and with women's education (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.2-2.7; P = 0.001). Obesity was positively associated with parity in univariate analyses only (OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 1.0-1.2; P = 0.02)ConclusionThe high prevalence of obesity in these pregnant women represents a competing public health problem in Sudan. More research is needed.

The effect of interpregnancy interval on obesity/overweight among women in the first trimester of pregnancy

“…The main findings of the current study were that increased maternal age (among obese women only), high education level, contraceptive use, and long IPI were associated with overweight and obesity. These findings are consistent with a previous report in the same setting, which showed the prevalence of obesity among pregnant women to be 19.5%, and that age and education were associated with obesity.…”

“…Maternal obesity in the region is increased among older and multiparous women, and in urban settlements, but is not associated with wealth . Obesity during pregnancy is a big health problem in Sudan: 19.4% of Sudanese women of any parity are obese, and obesity has been associated with adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes . Short IPI was investigated in a previous study in Sudan, but only in terms of its determinants and outcomes; long IPI or the effect of IPI on obesity was not assessed.…”

Obesity and pregnancy outcome in Khartoum, Sudan

“…Although 95% of women in Ghana report receiving prenatal care, only 57% of all deliveries occur in healthcare facilities with SBA [2]. Among Ghanaian women reporting more than 4 prenatal care visits, the facility delivery rate is 68%-far short of the United Nations goal of 90% SBA by 2015 [2,3]. The present study investigated the beliefs, delivery intentions, and subsequent delivery locations among women receiving prenatal care in the Eastern Region of Ghana, where the reported rate of deliveries in healthcare facilities with SBA is 59% [2].…”

The prevalence of malnutrition and its association with pregnancy outcome among pregnant women in Rafsanjan, Iran, in 2016

“…Zeal et al have also reported that about 50.6% of women had been overweight or obese before their pregnancy (8). Duria found that from among 1690 pregnant women, only 5.5% were underweight, and 35.6% were overweight and 19.4% were obese (9). Low weight in mothers before pregnancy causes premature birth and low birth weight (LBW), and increases the risk of perinatal complications, morbidity, and mortality in the mother and infant (6,9).…”

“…Duria found that from among 1690 pregnant women, only 5.5% were underweight, and 35.6% were overweight and 19.4% were obese (9). Low weight in mothers before pregnancy causes premature birth and low birth weight (LBW), and increases the risk of perinatal complications, morbidity, and mortality in the mother and infant (6,9). One of the most important complications of obesity during pregnancy is premature birth, prolonged labor (6, 10, 11), perinatal mortality, congenital anomalies (12), increased prevalence of cesarean section (C-section), postpartum hemorrhage (6), low five-minute Apgar score (13,14), its undesirable effects on the later stages of life (15), gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia (PE), and stillbirths (16).…”