Research Article 
Areej Al-Omrani 1, Abdul Karem Jasem AL-Bahadle, Sarmad Raad Kadhim 2
Abstract
The obesity is a problem of global importance with a significant impact on maternal-fetal
health. Maternal overweight and obesity cause pregnancy complications such as gestational
diabetes, hypertension and preeclampsia and affects fetal growth. The aim of study is to
evaluate neonatal complications at birth associated with maternal obesity, expressed as body
mass index (BMI) in a sample unselected geographical population. This is a cross-sectional
study; it was done at the departments of NICU and Gynecology in Al-Emamain Alkhadamian
Medical City hospital in Baghdad from the period 1st of February 2017 to the 31th of December
2017. A total of 514 pregnant women who gave birth in that period were included in this study.
We divided them into three groups according to the (BMI) BMI (20-25 k) Normal =257 pregnant women, BMI (25.1-30 kg/m2). Overweight =183 pregnant women & BMI >30 kg/m2
Obese = 74 pregnant women. Obese women had a significant increase of incidence than
average-weight women to have an infant with congenital heart diseases (14.78%), neural tube
defect (9.33%), orofacial clefts (13.61%), multiple congenital anomalies (3.3%), RDS
(18.67%), hypoglycemia (10.5%), low Apgar score (53.69%), low birth weights (3.5%),
macrosomia (21.4%) and preterm and postdate deliveries (95.71%). In conclusions, a
significant association between mothers’ BMI > 25 and fetal outcomes, the most common
congenital anomalies associated with maternal BMI >25 were the congenital heart diseases
and neural tube defects. There was an increase in the frequencies of other neonatal
complications like: (RDS, low birth weights, macrosomia, hypoglycemia, orofacial clefts, low
Apgar score, and others).
Keywords: Body Mass Index, Neonatal complication, Obesity