The Effect of Gestational Weight Gain on Placental Inflammation in Obese Women [169]

• Published in: Obstetrics and gynecology (New York. 1953) Vol. 125 Suppl 1; no. Supplement 1; pp. 57S - 58S
• Main Authors: McCaulley, Jill, Overcash, Rachael Tabitha, Leon-Garcia, Sandra, Parast, Mana, LaCoursiere, Daphne Yvette
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved 01.05.2015
• ISSN: 0029-7844; 1873-233X
• DOI: 10.1097/01.AOG.0000463741.08038.75

INTRODUCTION:Previous studies have shown placental inflammation is more prevalent in obese women. Inflammation in the chorionic villi (“villitis”) of the placenta is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes such as intrauterine growth restriction and preeclampsia. The objective of the study is to determine how gestational weight gain in obese women affects placental inflammation. METHODS:A retrospective review of placental pathology from obese women (body mass index [BMI, calculated as weight (kg)/[height (m)]] 35 or higher) who delivered from 2011 to 2014 was conducted. The primary outcome was placental inflammation identified on pathologic examination. Inflammatory placental markers were compared in obese patients who had gained less than 50th% for gestational weight gain (low gestational weight gain) with those who gained greater than 50th% (high gestational weight gain). t tests and crosstabulations were used to compare inflammatory markers and gestational weight gain. RESULTS:Sixty-four obese women were included. The mean gestational weight gain in the low gestational weight gain group was 2.7±9.55 lbs compared with 35.1±12.80 lbs for the high gestational weight gain group. On placental pathology, villitis was common in all obese women (26.6%) but was not different between the gestational weight gain groups (P=.40). Fetal thrombosis, which can be associated with villitis, also did not occur more often in obese women with increased gestational weight gain (25.0% compared with 31.3%, P=.57). There were also no differences between placental infarct (29%, low gestational weight gain, compared with 9.4%, high gestational weight gain, P=.10) or placental weight (492 g, low gestational weight gain, compared with 536 g, high gestational weight gain, P=.85). CONCLUSION:Increased gestational weight gain does not appear to affect placental inflammatory markers in obese women in our cohort.