Association Between Maternal Body Mass Index and Duration of Active Labor and Maternal–Neonatal Outcomes: A Systematic Review

The prevalence of overweight and obesity among pregnant women has increased worldwide and may influence the course of labor and perinatal outcomes. However, evidence regarding the impact of maternal body mass index (BMI) on the duration of active labor and related outcomes remains inconsistent. Objective: To investigate the association between early-pregnancy BMI and the duration of active labor, mode of delivery, and selected maternal and neonatal outcomes. Methods: In this review, studies published up to ۲۰۲۵ were searched across PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databasesusing the keywords Pregnancy, primiparous women, singleton pregnancies, BMI. Thus, the quality of the articles was evaluated by Consort and Jadad's checklist and finally ۲۵ articles were examined. Results: The findings revealed women with higher BMI had significantly longer active labor durations. The risk of cesarean section increased in obesity class I and II. Higher BMI was also associated with increased late decelerations and greater need for oxytocin augmentation. Neonates born to mothers with obesity had slightly but significantly lower Apgar scores at ۱ minute. Conclusion: Elevated maternal BMI is associated with prolonged active labor, higher rates of cesarean delivery, and increased risk of certain adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Preconception counseling and weight management may play a crucial role in improving childbirth outcomes.

کلیدواژه ها:

:Body mass index ، Active labor ، Obesity ، Maternal outcomes ، Neonatal outcomes ، Cesarean delivery ، Pregnancy