Evaluation of the relationship between high maternal weight and the duration of different stages of labor, delivery rout, neonatal weight and Apgar score

Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between high maternal weight and the duration of different stages of labor, delivery rout, and neonatal weight and Apgar score. Methods: A comparative prospective study was performed on 240 eligible women, who were divided into two groups. The control group (n = 120), whose their pre-pregnancy or first trimester weight were normal with body mass index (BMI) between 19.8 and 26 kg/m², and the case group (n = 120), whose pre-pregnancy or first trimester weight were high, with BMI between 26 and 30 kg/m². The progress of labor and delivery in these two groups were followed and the duration of different stages of labor, delivery rout, and neonatal weight and Apgar score were compared between these two groups. Results: The mean BMI in the case and control group were 28.34 ± 2.02 and 22.03 ± 3.83, respectively (P = 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups according to the duration of first, second, and third stages of labor and delivery rout and neonatal Apgar score, but the neonatal weight was higher in the case group (3670.8 ± 456.4 g vs. 3511.7 ± 452.7 g, P = 0.007, t = 2.71). With maternal weight gain during pregnancy of more than 12 kg, the duration of the first stage of labor was statistically higher in the case group (235.9 ± 105.3 min vs. 167.2 ± 75.6 min, P = 0.011, t = 2.64). Oxytocin was used for augmentation of labor more, in the case group [43 women (64.2%) vs. 36 women (44.4%), P = 0.017, X² = 5.74]. Conclusion: High maternal weight does not have impact on the duration of labor and delivery rout, but can increase neonatal weight and necessity for oxytocin, during labor.