# Pelvic Diameters and Their Association With Maternal Body Mass Index, Parity, and Delivery Outcomes: A Cross-Sectional Study

## TL;DR

This study explores how maternal age, BMI, and pelvic measurements relate to delivery outcomes, suggesting these factors can help guide personalized labor decisions.

## Contribution

The study identifies significant associations between maternal BMI, pelvic diameters, and delivery outcomes, emphasizing their role in clinical decision-making.

## Key findings

- Women with cesarean sections were significantly older than those with vaginal deliveries.
- Obese women had significantly higher intertrochanteric diameters compared to those with normal or overweight BMI.
- Women with episiotomy had lower interspinous and external conjugate diameters during vaginal delivery.

## Abstract

Background

In addition to age, body mass index (BMI), abdominal circumference, and parity, measuring the mother's pelvic diameters is a non-invasive, cost-effective method that can assist gynecologists in determining the optimal management of labor. Our study aimed to examine the associations between maternal age, pelvic diameters, BMI, abdominal circumference, and parity with delivery outcomes and investigate differences in pelvic diameters in relation to maternal age, BMI, delivery outcomes, parity, and episiotomy.

Materials and methods

The observational, cross-sectional study included 108 pregnant women in the active phase of labor who were admitted to the Gynecological Clinic at the Clinical Center University of Sarajevo. During admission, maternal data were registered: age, body height, body weight, abdominal circumference, and BMI. Using a pelvinometer, pelvic diameters were recorded: interspinous diameter (DS), intertrochanteric diameter (DT), intercristal diameter (DC), and external conjugate (CE). The Anterior Pelvic Index (API) was calculated by dividing the DS by the participants' height and multiplying the result by 100. Data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 17 (Released 2008; SPSS Inc., Chicago, United States).

Results

Women who underwent cesarean section were significantly older compared to those with spontaneous vaginal delivery. A significant correlation was observed between maternal age, BMI, and delivery outcomes. Obese women had significantly higher DT compared to women with normal or overweight BMI. Primiparous and multiparous women differed significantly in CE, while other pelvic diameters did not differ. Women with episiotomy had significantly lower DS and CE diameters compared to those without episiotomy during vaginal delivery.

Conclusion

Maternal age, BMI, and pelvic diameters are significant delivery outcome determinants; our findings suggest that these parameters deserve to be included in delivery outcome assessment as they provide substantial information in the journey of achieving personalized delivery care and decision-making.