OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate the prevalence of obesity in the healthcare area of Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor and analyze the obstetric and perinatal outcomes of obese patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

This is a retrospective transversal observational study based on data from births in Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor during 2019. 2048 clinical records were evaluated in order to determine prevalence of obesity, as well as maternal and perinatal outcomes variables in pregnant women with obesity.

RESULTS:

A total of 428 pregnant women with obesity were analyzed out of 2048 deliveries attended. The prevalence of obesity was 21.59%. Maternal age was 32 years; 39.10% of the patients were migrants; the mean BMI was 33.61 kg/m2; 33.18% were primiparous; 14.2% received any pharmacological treatment and 18.63% had endocrinological follow-up. Gestational age at labour was 39 weeks; 43.93% of deliveries were induced; caesarean delivery rate was 26.17% and 51.45% presented complications. Newborn’s mean weight was 3345.9 g. The 1-minute Apgar score median was 9 and the 5-minute Apgar score was 10; 16.24% of newborns had cord pH≤7.20; 1.96% ICU admission and 0.93% of fetal death.

CONCLUSIONS:

The prevalence of obesity in pregnant women in the Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor healthcare area was higher than the national mean. Factors such as migration and multiparity are associated with higher BMI, which leads to an increased risk of complications, especially ICU admission and antepartum fetal death. Obesity is associated with a higher rate of labour induction, caesarean delivery, tears, higher neonatal weight and lower pH.