Awareness of consequences of obesity on reproductive health problems among women in an urban area in South India

Authors

  • Nitin Joseph Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Light House Hill Road, Manipal University, Mangalore, India
  • Sneha V. MBBS student, Kasturba Medical College, Light House Hill Road, Manipal University, Mangalore, India
  • Maria Nelliyanil Department of Community Medicine, A.J Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalore, India
  • Sharada Rai MBBS student, Kasturba Medical College, Light House Hill Road, Manipal University, Mangalore, India
  • Supriya K. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kasturba Medical College, Light House Hill Road, Manipal University, Mangalore, India
  • Kamalakshi Bhat Department of Paediatrics, Kasturba Medical College, Light House Hill Road, Manipal University, Mangalore, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20150437

Keywords:

Awareness, Reproductive health problems, Obesity, Women, Urban area

Abstract

Background: Obesity is a well-known risk factor for number of non-communicable diseases. There is paucity of data however with regard to awareness of its consequences on reproductive health hazards.

Methods: Data was collected from 208 women aged ≥18 years from households chosen by systematic random sampling in an urban area.

Results: The mean age of participants was 41.4±14.2 years. Majority of them completed their graduation [109(52.4%)] and were housewives [80(38.5%)]. Most of them were married [167(80.3%)]. Out of 208 study participants, 166(79.8%) knew that obesity adversely affects reproductive health causing problems like PIH [156(75.0%)], GDM [150(72.1%)], menstrual irregularities [130(62.5%)], infertility [117(56.2%)], decreased efficacy of hormonal contraception [84(40.4%)], premature delivery [67(32.2%)], miscarriages [66(31.7%)] and fetal malformations [55(26.4%)] during pregnancy. Difficulties during delivery [137(65.9%)], higher chances of caesarean section [130(62.4%)], infections [36(17.3%)] and PPH [33(15.9%)] in the intra and post natal period were also known to participants. Majority of women [158(76%)] had average awareness level regarding consequences of obesity on their reproductive health. Only 21(10.1%) had good awareness. Source of information among majority of participants was media [116(55.8%)]. Good awareness level was significantly more among those aged ≤ 25 years (p=0.03), with higher level of education (p=0.038), nulligravida (p=0.037) and professionals (p=0.02).

Conclusions: Awareness generation on consequences of obesity on reproductive health is required to bring about behavioral change regarding obesity prevention among women in the setting.

 

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

IIPS (International Institute for Population Sciences), Macro International National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3), 2005-06, 2007; India,Vol. 1, Mumbai: IIPS; 2007.

Gesink Law DC, Maclehose RF, Longnecker MP. Obesity and time to pregnancy. Hum Reprod. 2007;22:414–20.

Ramlau-Hansen CH, Thulstrup AM, Nohr EA, Bonde JP, Sørensen TI, Olsen J. Subfecundity in overweight and obese couples. Hum Reprod. 2007;22:1634–7.

Metwally M, Ong KJ, Ledger WL, Li TC. Does high body mass index increase the risk of miscarriage after spontaneous and assisted conception? A meta-analysis of the evidence. Fertil Steril. 2008;90:714–26.

Lashen H, Fear K, Sturdee DW. Obesity is associated with increased risk of first trimester and recurrent miscarriage: matched case-control study. Hum Reprod. 2004;19:1644–6.

Thornburg LL. Antepartum obstetrical complications associated with obesity. Semin Perinatol. 2011;35:317-23.

O'Brien TE, Ray JG, Chan WS. Maternal body mass index and the risk of preeclampsia: a systematic overview. Epidemiology. 2003;14:368–74.

Dokras A, Baredziak L, Blaine J, Syrop C, VanVoorhis BJ, Sparks A. Obstetric outcomes after in vitro fertilization in obese and morbidly obese women. Obstet Gynecol. 2006;108:61–9.

Solomon CG, Willett WC, Carey VJ, Rich-Edwards J, Hunter DJ, Colditz GA et al. A prospective study of pregravid determinants of gestational diabetes mellitus. JAMA. 1997;278:1078–83.

Rosenberg TJ, Garbers S, ChavkinW, ChiassonMA. Prepregnancy weight and adverse perinatal outcomes in an ethnically diverse population. Obstet Gynecol. 2003;102:1022–7.

Vahratian A, Siega-Riz AM, Zhang J, Troendle J, Savitz D. Maternal pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity and the risk of primary cesarean delivery in nulliparous women. Ann Epidemiol. 2005;15:467–74.

Vahratian A, Zhang J, Troendle J, Savitz D, Siega-Riz AM. Maternal pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity and the pattern of labor progression in term nulliparous women. Obstet Gynecol. 2004;104:943–51.

Bodnar LM, Siega-Riz AM, Cogswell M. High pregnancy body mass index increases the risk of postpartum anemia. Obes Res. 2004;12:941–8.

Ramsay JE, Greer I, Sattar N. ABC of obesity Obesity and reproduction. BMJ 2006;333:1159-62.

Cardozo ER, Dune TJ, Neff LM, Brocks ME, Ekpo GE, Barnes RB et al. Knowledge of obesity and its impact on reproductive health outcomes among urban women. J Community Health. 2013;38:261–7.

Sekar V, Mathew AC, Chacko TV. Awareness of women about complications and causes of obesity. A cross sectional study in Coimbatore, South India. South Asian Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Available from: http://sajprevcardiology.com/vol8/vol8_3/awarenessofwomen.htm

Stothard KJ, Tennant PW, Bell R, Rankin J. Maternal overweight and obesity and the risk of congenital anomalies: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA 2009;301:636-50.

Anderson JL, Waller DK, Canfield MA, Shaw GM, Watkins ML, Werler MM. Maternal obesity, gestational diabetes, and central nervous system birth defects. Epidemiology. 2005;16:87–92.

Eliassen AH, Colditz GA, Rosner B, Willett WC, Hankinson SE. Adult weight change and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. JAMA. 2006;296:193–201.

Modesitt SC, van Nagell JR Jr. The impact of obesity on the incidence and treatment of gynecologic cancers: a review. Obstet Gynecol Surv. 2005;60:683–92.

Ojofeitimi EO, Adeyeye AO, Fadiora AO, Kuteyi AO, Faborode TG, Adegbenro CA et al. Awareness of obesity and its health hazard among women in a university community. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition. 2007;6:502-5.

World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Strategy of Diet, Physical Activity and Health (Obesity and Overweight) London; 2003. Available from: http://www.who.int/hpr/NPH/docs/gs_obesity.pdf [Last accessed on 2012 Oct 22].

Nitert MD, Foxcroft KF, Lust K, Fagermo N, Lawlor DA, O'Callaghan M et al. Overweight and obesity knowledge prior to pregnancy: a survey study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2011;11:96.

Kominiarek MA, Vonderheid S, Endres LK. Maternal obesity: do patients understand the risks? Journal of Perinatology. 2010;30:452–8.

Awotidebe TO, Adedoyin RA, Fatoogun B, Adeyeye V, Mbada CE, Akinola OT et al. An assessment of knowledge of Nigerian female undergraduates on obesity as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in women. American Journal of Health Research. 2014;2:50-5.

Soliman PT, Bassett RL, Jr, Wilson EB, Boyd-Rogers S, Schmeler KM, Milam MR et al. Limited public knowledge of obesity and endometrial cancer risk: what women know. Obstet Gynecol. 2008;112:835–42.

Luo ZC, Wilkins R, Kramer MS. Effect of neighbourhood income and maternal education on birth outcomes: a population-based study. CMAJ. 2006,174:1415-20.

Rahman M, Justiss AA, Berenson AB. Racial differences in obesity risk knowledge among low-income reproductive-age women. J Am Coll Nutr. 2012;31:397-400.

Callaway LK, O’Callaghan MJ, McIntyre HD. Barriers to addressing overweight and obesity before conception. The Medical journal of Australia. 2009;191:425–8.

Louis GM, Cooney MA, Lynch CD, Handal A. Periconception window: advising the pregnancy-planning couple. Fertil Steril. 2008;89(2):e119–21.

Downloads

Published

2017-02-09

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 4 (2015): July-August 2015

Section

Original Research Articles