SUMMARY

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate obesity as a risk factor for preeclampsia. DESIGN: Case-control study carried out at Dos de Mayo Hospital, Lima, Peru. 

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Excluding 35 women, 107 preeclamptic women were compared with 107 normotensive pregnant women (control group) and matched for gestational age (±1 week). Chi square test was used to correlate the presence of preeclampsia with pre gestational weight; T test was used to compare means, and logistic regression to adjust for confounders. RESULTS: Preeclampsia was significantly associated to women aged 35 or older (OR 3,0; CI 95 1,2 to 7,9), history of a previous pregnancy complicated with preeclampsia (OR 8,6; CI 95% 1,0 to 76,9), and obesity (OR 6,5; 6,2 to 2,8) considered as women in the highest tercil of the parameters body mass index (BMI), tricipital skin folding, and mid arm circunference. There was a significant linear trend (p< 0,001) in preeclampsia risk with these parameters. CONCLUSION: Women whose weight is in the upper third tercile of body mass index should be carefully controlled to reduce the incidence of preeclampsia and its complications. 

Key words: Preeclampsia; risk factors; body mass index; obesity; pre-eclampsia; pregnancy complications.

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