Association of body mass index increase and the presence of urinary tract infection in primigravidae

Introduction: The nutritional status of women before and during pregnancy is one of the determinants of the risk of maternal morbidity and mortality. Objective: To determine the relationship between the increase in body mass index and the presence of urinary tract infection in primigravidae. Methods: Case-control study in primigravidae records. We studied sociodemographic variables (age, schooling, life as a couple and occupation), obstetric conditions (obstetric risk, weeks of beginning of prenatal control, weeks of pregnancy resolution and number of prenatal visits), anthropometry at the beginning and end of pregnancy (weight, height, body mass index and nutritional condition-underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity-, weight gain and body mass index gain), and modification of nutritional condition at the beginning and end of pregnancy. Statistical analysis was performed with percentages, averages, confidence intervals for averages, Chi2 test, odds ratio, confidence intervals for odds ratio, simple linear regression, and projection of event occurrence. Results: When the increase in body mass index was 5 kg/m2, the mean urinary tract infection corresponded to 1.62 and, if the increase in body mass index was 10 kg/m2, the mean urinary tract infection was 2.3. Conclusion: In our study, the greater the increase in body mass index during pregnancy of the primigravida, the greater her probability of presenting urinary tract infection.