부산대학교 도서관

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of maternal pre-pregnancy obesity on the risk of preterm birth in Korean women. Methods: Primiparas who delivered a singleton between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2015, and underwent a National Health Screening Examination within 1 year of pregnancy were eligible. Preterm birth data were obtained by merging data from the National Health Screening Program for Infants and Children database. Maternal obesity was defined as a body mass index of ≥25 kg/m2. Results: Among 237,064 women who delivered during the study period, 16,249 (6.9%) women were obese. In the multivariable analysis, women with obesity had an increased risk of preterm birth (<37 weeks of gestation: odds ratio [OR], 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-1.25) compared with those without obesity. Women with obesity also had an increased risk of early preterm birth (<34 weeks of gestation: OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.24-1.69). Conclusion: Our study demonstrated the relationship between obesity in pre-pregnancy and the risk of preterm birth in Korea. A public health plan regarding obesity in prenatal counseling is needed to achieve optimal body weight gain before conception to minimize the risk of poor perinatal outcomes.