Knowledge of Obesity and Its Impact on Reproductive Health Outcomes Among Urban Women

Abstract

This prospective survey study assessed the knowledge of reproductive outcomes that are affected by obesity among women in an urban community. A total of 207 women attending a community fair on the south side of Chicago participated in the study. A survey assessing knowledge of BMI and of the effects of obesity on general, cardiometabolic and reproductive health outcomes was administered. Subjects ranged in age from 18 to 70 years (mean ± SD, 48.6 ± 12.9 years) and ranged in BMI from 17.3 to 52.1 kg/m2 (mean ± SD, 31.2 ± 6.7 kg/m2). The following percentages of women were aware that obesity increases the risk of miscarriage (37.5%), irregular periods (35.8%), infertility (33.9%), cesarean section (30.8%), breast cancer (28.0%), birth defects (23.7%), stillbirth (14.1%), and endometrial cancer (18.1%). This study found that while women in an urban community are aware of the cardiometabolic risks associated with obesity, they demonstrate limited knowledge of the effects of obesity on reproductive outcomes. Public education is needed to increase knowledge and awareness of the reproductive consequences of obesity. Women of reproductive age may be uniquely responsive to obesity education and weight loss intervention.

Awareness of consequences of obesity on reproductive health problems among women in an urban area in South India

“…25 As women of reproductive age will be responsive to education on consequences of obesity on reproductive health, elaborate information needs to be widely disseminated in the community to bring about behavioral modifications. 15 Awareness of increased risk of caesarean deliveries was stated by 30.8% 15 26 of participants in other studies were more than our observations. The awareness of congenital anomalies among offspring was 23.7% in a study done in Chicago 15 and 58% in a study done in Brisbane 23 in comparison to 26.4% reported by participants in this study.…”

“…15 Awareness of increased risk of caesarean deliveries was stated by 30.8% 15 26 of participants in other studies were more than our observations. The awareness of congenital anomalies among offspring was 23.7% in a study done in Chicago 15 and 58% in a study done in Brisbane 23 in comparison to 26.4% reported by participants in this study. Another Australian study observed that awareness of the role of obesity in maternal complications was much more for maternal than neonatal complications which was similar to our findings.…”

“…The sample size of 185 participants was calculated at 95% confidence limits, 80% power and based on the awareness of consequences of obesity among women found to be 35% from a previously done study. 15 Adding a non-response rate of 10%, the total sample size was calculated as 208. These participants were chosen from households by systematic random sampling.…”

“…21,22 But health education by enlightening women on prevention of obesity for successful outcome of pregnancies would probably bring about behavioral modifications. 15 As a consequence of this the reproductive health outcomes will improve in this setting. This study was hence done to assess the level of awareness of consequences of obesity on reproductive health and to find out its association with socio demographic variables among women in a coastal city of south India.…”

“…Apart from these complications are the technical problems associated with managing obese pregnant mothers during antenatal care as a consequence of reduced ultrasound accuracy, requirement of larger cuff to measure blood pressure and difficulty posed during external electronic foetal monitoring. 14 Prior studies have also found neonatal complications such as stillbirths 15,16 , congenital anomalies 17,18 and macrosomia 6 as well as gynecological problems like risk of breast cancer 19 and endometrial cancer 20 to be due to obesity.…”