Maternal obesity in high-risk pregnancies and postpartum infectious complications

SummaryObjectiveTo analyze the association between maternal obesity and postnatal infectious complications in high-risk pregnancies.MethodsProspective study from August 2009 through August 2010 with the following inclusion criteria: women up to the 5th postpartum day; age ≥ 18 years; high-risk pregnancy; singleton pregnancy with live fetus at labor onset; delivery at the institution; maternal weight measured on day of delivery. The nutritional status in late pregnancy was assessed by the body mass index (BMI), with the application of the Atalah et al. curve. Patients were graded as underweight, adequate weight, overweight, or obese. Postpartum complications investigated during the hospital stay and 30 days post-discharge were: surgical wound infection and/or secretion, urinary infection, postpartum infection, fever, hospitalization, antibiotic use, and composite morbidity (at least one of the complications mentioned).Results374 puerperal women were included, graded according to the final BMI as: underweight (n=54, 14.4%); adequate weight (n=126, 33.7%); overweight (n=105, 28.1%); and obese (n=89, 23.8%). Maternal obesity was shown to have a significant association with the following postpartum complications: surgical wound infection (16.7%, p=0.042), urinary infection (9.0%, p=0.004), antibiotic use (12.3%, p