Role of obesity in gestational hypertension in primigravidae women: A case control study in Shadegan, Iran

Background: Gestational hypertension is a serious problem among pregnant women in Shadegan. This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of gestational hypertension in these women. Methods: In this study, the prevalence of gestational hypertension was estimated. Then, a case-control study was performed on 310 pregnant women with gestational hypertension and 930 healthy pregnant women in 2014. Multiple logistic regression was used to explore the possible risk factors. The analysis was repeated in a subgroup of primigravidae women to identify the risk factors that led to gestational hypertension. Results: The prevalence of gestational hypertension among pregnant women in Shadegan was 9.6%. Moreover, multiple logistic regression of all pregnant women showed that obese pregnant women were 1.79 times (OR = 1.79; 95%CI= 1.19-2.71; p<0.005) more likely to have gestational hypertension. Overweight and obese primigravidae women were 2.13 (OR= 2.1; 95%CI= 1.031-4.34; p<0.041) and 4.8 (OR= 2.4; 95%CI= 1.13-5.16; p<0.022) times more likely to have gestational hypertension than women with normal BMI, respectively. Age, education, history of gestational hypertension, and type of residential area of the primigravidae women were also significant factors. Conclusion: BMI is the most important risk factor for gestational hypertension. More focus needs to be laid on this issue to raise awareness on the preservation of proper BMI before pregnancy, which can help decrease gestational hypertension.