Background: Worldwide there is increasing incidence of obesity among women and is related to adverse maternal pregnancy outcome such as Gestational hypertension, Gestational diabetes, Preeclampsia, cesarean section and on fetal birth weight. Considering this with the effects on pregnancy outcome and fetal outcome, this study is to bring out the association of maternal pre-pregnant Body Mass Index (BMI) and weight gain to south Indian setup. Objective: 1.To study the association between pre-pregnant BMI with maternal weight gain during pregnancy and fetal birth outcomes. 2. Relationship between hypertension and diabetes with weight gain.

Methods: We studied 250 pregnant women at Velammal medical college Hospital and calculated their pre-pregnant BMI and Average weight gain during pregnancy; we also collected risk factors and complications during pregnancy and the fetal weight at birth. We analyzed the relationship between pre-pregnant BMI with average weight gain during pregnancy, weight gain with risk factors and complications, weight gain with fetal birth weight.

Results: The average weight gain during pregnancy in our study was 9 Kg. and average fetal birth weight was 2.8 Kg.

Conclusion: This study shows that pre-pregnant BMI is not related to risk factors during pregnancy except gestational diabetes and pre eclampsia with a marginal increase in overweight and obese category. There was a linear correlation with increase in cesarean section rate in obese group.

Keywords: Pre-pregnant. Body Mass Index.  Obesity. Weight gain.  Birth weight.

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Dr K J Jeevitha

Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology,

Velammal Medical College Hospital & RI Madurai – 625009

Ph: +91 9940292762, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.