The prevalence of malnutrition and its association with pregnancy outcome among pregnant women in Rafsanjan, Iran, in 2016

Malnutrition in both its forms of obesity and underweight, particularly in pregnant women, cause maternal mortality and ýprenatal complications.ý The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of malnutrition among pregnant women and its effect onþ þpregnancy outcome, in Rafsanjan, Iran, in 2016.ý
The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 839 pregnant women referred to Niknafs and Ali-Ebn Abitaleb ý Hospitals in 2016. The subjects were selected by ýcensus method. Data [age, pregnancy age, ýpre-gestational height and weight, and body mass index (BMI)] were collected in the emergency ward and recorded in a checklist. Information on the type of delivery (normal or ýcesarean section), and the neonate’s gender, weight, height, and head circumference at birth were collected in the ýmaternity ward. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, Fisher’s exact test, and chi-square test. ý
This study showed that the prevalence of pregestational overweight & obesity, and underweight was ýý37.5% and 7.4%, respectively. The prevalence of neonatal LBW and HBW was 5.1% and 3.8%, respectively. In addition, 9.7% of underweight women had LBW neonatals, and 11.8% ýýof women with pregestational obesity had HBW infants (P = 0.039).ý
The prevalence of obesity in pregnant women was higher than that reported in other studies ýin different regions of Iran. Therefore, obesity is a warning for health politicians and administrators. ýAlthough prenatal care has been able to control neonatal LBW and HBW, although there is a long way until the achievement of the nutritional ýgoals for 2025.