Abstract
Excess body fat deposition is known to be unhealthy. There have been several
discourses on defined anthropometric indices for the assessment and a better
prediction of obesity in pregnant women. This is because certain cut-off values
relating to obesity in pregnant subjects are highly influenced by age, sex, ethnicity
and trimesters of pregnancy. This study is aimed at investigating the use of two
basic anthropometric indices to measure obesity and evaluate its prevalence in
the different trimesters of pregnancy. The research is a prospective study involving
460 pregnant women in the sample proportion of 110, 110, 240 in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd
trimesters respectively chosen randomly from antenatal clinic of the Rivers State
Primary Health care centre, Rumukuta, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Measurements of
height, weight, hip circumference (HP) were obtained. Body mass index (BMI) was
calculated from values of height and weight. Waist to height ratio (WHtR) was also
calculated from waist and hip values. The result showed a BMI prevalence of 3.6%,
7.3% and 0.8%; WHtR prevalence of 56.4%, 51.8% and 40% all in the 1st, 2nd and
3rd trimesters respectively. A negative linear correlation was shown between the
other indices and BMI as an independent variable in first trimester with value (r=
-0.015) against a (r= 0.165) in WHtR. There was an association of WHtR against BMI
with no statistically significant difference at level of 95% (p<0.05). Generally, the
study provides a low prevalence of BMI and a high prevalence of WHtR in relation
to WHO values as well as establishing 1st trimester as a good indicator of obesity
in pregnant women and WHtR as a better predictor of obesity in pregnant women
in the population studied. The results of this study are therefore recommended as
a guide for clinical judgement in preventive comprehensive health care services
on obesity management.