The Relation between Prepregnancy Body Mass Index and Abnormal Placental Morphology and Birth Weight

El-Hosary, Eman A. Soliman; Elkheshen, Sahar Abdelrady; Aboushady, Reda M-Nabil

doi:10.21608/tsnj.2023.291040

The Relation between Prepregnancy Body Mass Index and Abnormal Placental Morphology and Birth Weight

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Assistant Professor of Maternal and Newborn Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Menoufia University, Egypt.

² Assistant Professor of obstetrics and Gynecology at Misr University for Science and Technology Egypt

³ Assistant Professor of Maternal and Newborn Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Cairo University, Egypt

10.21608/tsnj.2023.291040

Abstract

Background: Birth is enormously important, and the care that a woman receives during labor
affects women`s health physically and emotionally in the short and long-term periods. The placenta
plays a pivotal role during pregnancy by being intimately connected to the mother and fetus. Aim of
the current study is to examine the relation between prepregnancy body mass index and abnormal
placental morphology and birth weight. Methods: A descriptive correlational research design was
used for this study to achieve the study aim. Sample: A purposive of 150 laboring women were
enrolled in the study. Setting: the study was conducted at the delivery unit at Al kaser Alini
University Hospital, Cairo University, Egypt.Tools: Three tools were used to collect the data; 1)
Structured Interviewing Questionnaire, 2) Maternal Assessment Tool, And 3) Neonatal Assessment
Tool. Results: The mean age of the study sample was 29.77 ± 5.47 years old. The mean
prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) was 26.22 ±3.20 and there is a positively correlated with it
and newborn birth weight (r=0.18; p=0.02), placental weight (r=0.16; p =0.04), and placental
thickness (r=0.21; p=0.03). Conclusions: The study findings concluded that prepregnancy body
mass index parameters which are known to influence birth weight and determinants of abnormal
placental morphology. Recommendations: Authoritive personnel should encourage protocols and
develop guides/checklists for placental examination in health care facilities

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