Birth weight in high risk and normal pregnancy: a comparative study

ABSTRACT

Objective. High-risk pregnancy (HRP) is characterized as a complex pregnancy when one or more factors have a negative impact on the preg­nancy outcome. This study aimed to find out the impact of high-risk pregnancy on the birth weight.
Materials and Methods. A comparative case-control study was con­ducted between 1st September to 1st December 2023 on 250 pregnant women giving birth at Kirkuk city hospitals. A case group of 125 cases (high-risk pregnancies) and a control group of 125 cases (normal preg­nancies) were allocated.
Results. The study found that there was a significant association be­tween chronic hypertension (p = 0.030), pre-eclampsia (p = 0.013), GDM (p < 0.001), placenta accreta (p = 0.028), and anaemia (p = 0.033), and the weight of the newborn. About 8.0% of the women with high-risk pregnancies have had low birth weights, whereas 4.0% reported high birth weights. In contrast, women with normal pregnancies expe­rienced low birth weights in 0.8% of cases and high birth weights in 1.6% of cases. Also, the findings revealed a high association between the weight of neonates born to women who had high-risk pregnancies in comparison to those who were born to women who had normal pregnancies (p < 0.001).
Conclusions. The main findings revealed that high-risk pregnancy af­fects the newborn’s weight. Creating and implementing into practice interventional strategies to raise pregnant women’s awareness of the importance of regular screenings is highly recommended. Furthermore, complications should be managed effectively to minimize the negative impacts on the weight of newborns.