Effect of Delivery on Women Waist Circumference

Abstract

Background: The population worldwide have faced a growing epidemic of AO, the
prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing in both developed and developing countries.
Abdominal obesity is a major risk factor for many chronic diseases including diabetes,
hypertension and ischemic heart diseases ,so it is considered a major Public health problem.
Objectives: This study was carried out to explore the effect types of delivery on the waist
circumference among women in Nasiriya maternity hospitals.
Materials and methods: A hospital based cross sectional study was carried out in two teaching
hospitals (Al Haboobi teaching hospital and Bent Al Huda teaching hospital) in Nasiriya
Maternity hospitals from first of November 2023 to second of February 2024. All non-pregnant
women who were suffering from any medical problem , and attended the obstetric outpatients in
these two hospitals were included in this study. Based on assumed prevalence of caesarean
section among women in a previous study in Al Nasiriya city(20%), so the needed sample size to
calculate such prevalence rate with precision of 5%, confidence level of 95%, and added extra
sample of 10%, is almost equal to 500 Women. data were collected by using a specialized
questionnaire which was designed for the purpose of the study. Abdominal obesity was
considered when patients waist circumference measurement more than 88 cm.
Results: This study showed that prevalence rate of Abdominal obesity among non-pregnant
women was 64.4%. This rate was significantly affected by mode of delivery (Abdominal obesity
was more among women who had history of caesarean section in comparison with women who
had history of normal vaginal delivery) (p=0.0001).
Conclusion: two-third of non-pregnant women with Abdominal obesity in Nasiriya maternity
hospitals . It is recommended to re-enforce pre natal health care of non-pregnant women
through the antenatal care services at primary health care level and state the complication after
caesarean section control weight before pregnancy.
According to the results obtained from this study and the current situation regarding the care of
women in reproductive age in Iraq and specifically in Al- Nasiriya city, the most important and
practical recommendation is to activate the maternal health care at PHCC or at least in every
hospital with a nutritional clinic with well-trained doctors and other heath staff .