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Pre‐pregnancy BMI : Costs associated with maternal underweight and obesity in Q ueensland
Author(s) -
Watson Melanie,
Howell Stuart,
Johnston Trisha,
Callaway Leonie,
Khor SueLynne,
Cornes Sue
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.734
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1479-828X
pISSN - 0004-8666
DOI - 10.1111/ajo.12031
Subject(s) - underweight , medicine , overweight , obesity , obstetrics , pregnancy , birth weight , pediatrics , demography , sociology , biology , genetics
Background The economic costs of maternal obesity and underweight have not been described. We aim to assess the effect of maternal underweight and obesity on hospital utilisation and hospital costs. Methods Data from the Q ueensland P erinatal D ata C ollection and Q ueensland H ospital A dmitted P atient D ata C ollection were analysed for 2008. The sample included 37,912 Q ueensland resident mothers with a singleton pregnancy who gave birth in a public facility. Outcome measures were hospital length of stay ( LOS ) and hospital costs accrued during the birth admission and during pre‐ and postnatal admissions within 90 days of the birth admission. Results There were 1,581 (4.2%) underweight, 17,175 (45.3%) normal weight, 10,155 (26.8%) overweight and 9,001 (23.7%) obese women. Maternal obesity was associated with significantly longer stays although effect sizes were modest (≤0.5 days) and specific to women who delivered vaginally. LOS was significantly higher among babies born to underweight mothers when compared to those born to normal weight women. Maternal obesity was associated with a total increase of $5 million in mothers' hospital costs when compared to those amongst normal weight women; the corresponding figure for underweight mothers was $385,734. The total hospital costs for babies born to underweight women were $1.6 million higher than those born to mothers in the normal weight category. Maternal obesity was not associated with an increase in babies' hospital costs. Conclusions Maternal obesity contributed to an increase in mothers' hospital LOS and hospitalisation costs. Maternal underweight contributed to an increase in babies' hospital costs.