Ethnic Disparities and Obesity Risk Factors in Pregnant Women: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study

Abstract

(1) Background: This article focuses on the prevalence of overweight and obesity in pregnancy in different ethnic groups and assesses the existence of associated comorbidities. (2) Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational cohort study of 16803 pregnant women was carried out between 2012 and 2018 in the health region of Lleida (72% of the total). The relationship between overweight and obesity and different variables was analyzed by calculating the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals with multivariate logistic regression models. (3) Results: The prevalence of obesity in pregnant women rose from 11.1% in 2012 to 13.4% in 2018, and there was an age-related weight gain. A high incidence of overweight and obesity was recorded in pregnant women from ethnic groups: Maghrebi, sub-Saharan African and Latin America populations presented ORs of 4.08, 3.18 and 1.59, respectively. Hypertension was the variable most affected by body mass index (BMI) > 25 (OR = 3.39) followed by gestational diabetes mellitus (OR = 2.35). Depression was also associated with obesity. (4) Conclusions: The BMI of pregnant women is influenced by individual, ethnic and clinical factors. Mental health conditions such as depression are associated with BMI.

Obesity Prevalence and Its Impact on Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes among Pregnant Women: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study Design

“…In contrast, a study conducted in Malay by Ying Pang et al, 2016, found that maternal obesity was 21.5%, and in the UK, 14.6% of women with a single pregnancy were obese, as revealed by a study conducted by Barber, Rankin, and Heslehurst, 2017 [ 14 , 15 ]. Meanwhile, another study conducted in Spain showed that the prevalence of obesity in pregnant women ranged from 11.1% in 2012 to 13.4% in 2018 [ 16 ]. In addition, one study conducted in Beijing, China, displayed that the prevalence of overweight and obesity in pregnant women was 9.61% [ 17 ].…”

Pregnancy Induced Hypertension and It’s Associated Factors among Women Attending Delivery Center

“…(5) Another study found a clear correlation between racial and ethnic differences and the prevalence of maternal hypertensive disorders, with risk variables including obesity, gestational diabetes, education level, and maternal age. (6) Other major risk factors for PIH include extremes in mother age, passive and active smoking, primigravida and multipara (≥5), aided vaginal delivery, elective cesarean section, interval between pregnancies ≥ 4 years, and specific contraceptive methods. (7) According to a meta-analysis carried out in Ethiopia, women who have hypertension during pregnancy had 3.89 times higher risks of giving birth to infants with low birth weights than women who do not have hypertension.…”