Obesity in pregnant women: a 20-year analysis of the German experience

Abstract

Background/objective: To investigate the longitudinal development of maternal body weight and analyze the influence of obesity on obstetrics during more than two decades in Germany. Subjects/methods: Data collected from the Federal state of Schleswig-Holstein (German Perinatal Survey) were analyzed with regard to the dynamics of maternal anthropometric variables (body weight, BMI) between 1995–7 and 2004–17. In total 335,511 mothers substantiated the presented study-collective. The statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26.0. Armonk, NY. Results: Maternal BMI advanced significantly over the study period. Among a rise in mean periconceptional body weight (67.6–72.0 kg), the segment of obese women increased disproportionately (in average 9.4–19.2%). Despite the observed trend to late giving birth (mean maternal age 1995: 29.3 vs. 30.7 years in 2017), it was not advanced maternal age but parity that influenced the continuous increase in maternal weight (mean maternal body weight 1995–7: primi- bi-, multiparae 67.4, 68.3 and 69.0 kg vs. 2004–17: primi- bi-, multiparae 70.0, 71.5 and 73.2 kg respectively). Conclusion: Obesity is a major problem on health issues in obstetrics. Advancing maternal BMI, increasing mother’s age and derived prenatal risks considerably complicate pregnancy and delivery. It has to be emphasized that its consequences do not end with delivery or childbed, but represent a livelong burden to the mother and their offspring. Hence, multimodal strategies to reduce/control periconceptional body weight are mandatory.