204851 Comparison of pre-pregnancy weight and height recorded on birth certificates and in the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System

Monday, November 9, 2009: 11:30 AM

Sara M.A. Donahue, MPH , Department of Maternal and Child Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Eugene Declercq, PhD , Department of Maternal and Child Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Background: Pre-pregnancy obesity, body mass index (BMI, calculated from weight and height) >= 30 kg/m2, is associated with increased risk of pregnancy-related morbidity and adverse birth outcomes. By 2006, pre-pregnancy height and weight were collected on the birth certificate (BC) in 19 states representing 49% of US births, but few studies have examined the validity of these measures. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between two statewide sources of pre-pregnancy height, weight, and BMI data.

Methods: Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) were analyzed to compare self-reported pre-pregnancy height and weight and calculated BMI with the respective measures recorded on the BC among women who delivered a live birth in 2004 in Washington. ANOVA and t-tests were used to compare measures by individual sociodemographic characteristics. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated for correlational analyses.

Results: The study population included 1,469 PRAMS respondents. Among sociodemographic subgroups, pre-pregnancy height and weight varied most by race/ethnicity. Pre-pregnancy weight reported in PRAMS was consistently lower than on the BC. The correlation between the two measures of pre-pregnancy weight and height were strong overall (r = 0.92, 0.88, respectively) and among subgroups, as was the correlation between the BMI measures (overall r = 0.88).

Conclusions: Preliminary analysis suggests that BC measures of pre-pregnancy height, weight, and BMI are consistent with PRAMS measures and may be considered for use on a population basis in state analyses. Future work will incorporate data from other states.

Learning Objectives:
1. Compare two statewide measures of pre-pregnancy height, weight, and body mass index (BMI). 2. Describe differences in measures by maternal sociodemographic characteristics. 3. Discuss the potential validity of birth certificate height, weight, and BMI measures for use in state analyses.

Keywords: Data/Surveillance, Obesity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I was responsible for the study design and analysis of data.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.