Association of Maternal Weight Gain and Fetal Weight at Term Pregnancy: A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

To evaluate the relationship between maternal weight gain and fetal weight in term pregnancy. An observational study was carried out in a private clinic in Cox's Bazar, from March 2011 to March 2012. Total 200 mothers with singleton pregnancy were selected. Maternal weights were recorded in 1^st trimester and 3^rd trimester. Fetal weights were noted at 37 completed weeks of gestation by ultrasonography. Most (63%) of the women were 20 - 29 years of age (mean 24.1±5.3) and 70.5% women got married at the age of 16 — 20 years (mean 18.71±2.79) and 11% of them had <2500gm fetus. The frequency of <2500gm fetus were 12% and 22.5% had > 1 children (mean 1.33±0.36), 46% of mothers having >3 children had <2500gm fetus (p = <0.05). It was detected that 65.5% of 20 — 24 years old mothers gained 10-12 kg. Mothers who gained < 8 kg of weight, 75% of them had <2500gm fetus, this study also revealed that 44.3% of mothers who gained 10 -12 kg weight had>2500gm fetus. There is significant correlation between the number of parity and variation of fetal weight.

JCMCTA 2014 ; 25 (2) : 31-35