ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to clarify the effects of obesity on hemodynamic change
in pregnant women. From 1322 primiparous women and 1027 multiparous women who delivered
singleton babies with no life-threatening anomalies, 110 primiparous obese women,
1050 primiparous normal-weight women, 139 multiparous obese women, and 816 multiparous
normal-weight women were selected according to body mass index at the first visit
prior to the 10th gestational week. Women exhibiting chronic hypertension, overt diabetes
mellitus, and extreme skinniness were excluded. All of the women had been under the
same management at Osaka City University Hospital. Their medical records were analyzed
retrospectively. The study determined the arterial blood pressure of obese women to
be significantly higher than that of normal-weight women throughout pregnancy in both
primipara and multipara. The incidence of pregnancy-induced hypertension in obese
women was significantly higher in primipara (22.7% versus 8.2%) and multipara (15.8%
versus 5.0%). The incidence of intrapartum hypertension was also higher in the obese
group. Hematocrit count at 3 gestational months (37.7 ± 3.1 in primipara, and 37.6
± 2.7 in multipara) and 8 gestational months (34.4 ± 2.7 in primipara, and 33.7 ±
2.7 in multipara) were significantly higher than those in normal-weight women. Exercise
tests using impedance cardiographs showed poor cardiac function in 5 of 1 7 obese
women. These findings led us to conclude that obesity during pregnancy is clearly
accompanied by hypertension, hemoconcentration, and poor cardiac function.
Keywords
Obesity - pregnancy-induced hypertension - hemoconcentration - cardiac function
