RESUMO
UNLABELLED: Excessive weight gain (EWG) during pregnancy can cause maternal and fetal complications. It has not yet been studied in our social environment, however. OBJECTIVES: Our study aimed to describe maternal and fetal outcome in women gaining excessive weight during pregnancy in Cameroon. METHODOLOGY: This cross-sectional descriptive study took place over a two-month period. Women were interviewed after delivery and grouped in two categories: those who did and did not have EWG during pregnancy. The complications due to EWG were analyzed. RESULTS: The frequency of EWG in pregnancy was 35.5%. The incidence of high blood pressure was 9.8% for patients with EWG, and 6% for those with normal weight gains (P = 0.301). The mean birth weight of the babies of women with EWG was 3,433 g, significantly higher than the 3,103.7 g (P = 0.001) of the babies in the other group. Patients with EWG had significantly fewer babies with low birth weight (P<0.05) and significantly more with macrosomia (P<0.01). The cesarean rate was higher, but not significantly so, for women with EWG (23.2% vs 16.1%, P = 0.187); this was the case as well for postpartum hemorrhage and (1- and 5-min) Apgar scores as well. CONCLUSION: EWG is associated with a higher incidence of macrosomia, but does not significantly increase the rate of cesarean births or modify the Apgar scores.
